An explosion at a tank cleaning facility in East Chicago, Indiana, left at least three employees burned and hospitalized Wednesday morning, authorities said.
Fire officials said they were called just before 7:30 a.m. to the T.A.C East, Inc. facility in the 2000 block of Gary Road following reports of a boiler tank explosion.
Crews arrived within four minutes of the initial call to “heavy flames and smoke,” according to Fire Chief Anthony Serna.
Five employees were at the building at the time of the explosion and three of them suffered first, second and third-degree burns, Serna said. They were taken to an area hospital in stable condition.
Fire officials said a majority of the flames had been put out around 10 a.m. but crews were still working on hot spots in an office area.
The cause of the explosion remained under investigation but Serna said initial calls reported a boiler tank was involved.
A plume of smoke could be seen for miles following the blast.
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“I live approximately three blocks away and when I heard the call I looked out my bedroom window and could see the smoke this morning,” Serna said.
Authorities said there were no chemicals involved in the fire and no immediate risk to the public.
