1 Worker Still Hospitalized After Paramus Animal Hospital Explosion
PARAMUS, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Two of the three workers injured when an MRI machine exploded at a Paramus, New Jersey animal hospital last week had released from the hospital as of Monday.
But the third person hurt in Friday's accident at the Oradell Animal Hospital in Paramus remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
An MRI machine exploded inside the hospital, prompting the evacuation of 60 animals.
Three subcontractors were making repairs on the MRI machine at the time.
"I was just driving up as the thing blew up ... it's an old MRI machine which was being dismantled as we speak and a new one installed," hospital owner Dr. Coleman Palminteri told CBS2's Christine Sloan last week.
The explosion caused a ceiling in a small room to collapse but none of the animals were hurt because they were in a different part of the building, Sloan reported.
Authorities late Monday were still trying to determine what caused the explosion. They said 100 employees were also in the building when the blast occurred.
Authorities released the three victims' names on Monday. They said Joseph Bijas, 49, of Hillsboro, and John Fitzpatrick, 53, of Freehold, have both been released from the hospital.
The most seriously injured worker -- Jeremy Hogan, 37, of Ridgefield, Connecticut -- remained hospitalized but is expected to recover.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.
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