Two workers were injured this morning by an explosion that occurred inside a trailer at a UPS Freight facility in Rock Island, Illinois.
Early Morning Blast Rocks UPS Freight Facility
The Rock Island Fire Department responded to a call about an explosion at the UPS facility just after 5 a.m. this morning.
When they arrived on scene, they found one worker suffering from “serious but non-life threatening injuries.” That worker was taken to the hospital. Another worker suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
Firefighters Suspect Forklift Leaking Propane Led To Explosion
Investigators found that one trailer was severely damaged in the explosion. A nearby office area was also damaged by the blast. The cost of the damage is estimated around $100,000.
The City Fire Marshal has confirmed there was an explosion here at UPS Freight in Rock Island. There were multiple injuries. Another live report coming up at 7:27 a.m. pic.twitter.com/i0iEnmiXe9
— KWQC Ashley Holden (@ashleyvholden) February 15, 2018
After examining the scene, fire fighters believe that a slow propane leak from one of the forklifts was to blame for the explosion.
Workers had stored five forklifts inside the trailer that exploded and Rock Island Fire Marshall Greg Marty believes that one of the forklifts was leaking propane. The propane is thought to have pooled on the floor of the trailer. When the worker entered the trailer to start the forklift, it is suspected to have triggered the explosion.
The explosion remains under investigation.
UPS has released a statement about the incident: “UPS is working with authorities to confirm the cause of the incident. The safety of our people is UPS’s first priority.”