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Explosion Kills Power Plant Worker

April 6, 2000

An explosion at a Duke Energy Corp. steam plant in Spencer, N.C., killed a worker Tuesday morning.

An explosion at a Duke Energy Corp. steam plant killed a worker Tuesday morning.

The explosion happened shortly after 11 a.m. at Buck Steam Station, Spencer, N.C., one of Duke Power's eight steam plants.

A utility spokeswoman said the victim was working on a transformer when it exploded in the switchyard next to the plant's main building.

The switchyard is where power generated at the plant is transferred through wires away from the plant to the larger transmission grid.

Emergency workers said the employee suffered chemical burns on his face and hands.

The worker was airlifted to Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem where he later died. The name of the victim has not been released.

Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the transformer to explode.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.