Equipment malfunction at PPG Springdale facility causes "boom" that shook homes
SPRINGDALE, Pa. (KDKA) — Two workers at the PPG Industries facility in Springdale got minor injuries following a machine malfunction on Thursday.
Emergency crews were called to the facility after 12:30 p.m. PPG officials said there was no fire as a result and there was minimal site damage.
Neighbors told KDKA-TV that it sounded and felt like some kind of explosion.
Alexis Mangol and her family were having a laidback afternoon at their Springdale home.
"I was just sitting at home watching a movie, and the next thing I know I hear a big deep boom ... All the pictures on my walls are shaking. My dog jumps up, my kids are scared, and I'm scared. My husband was getting ready to leave, he said he could feel it from inside the car," Mangol said.
Mangol ran outside and saw something was going on across the street at PPG's plant.
"And people are coming outside from PPG, and like, they're scared, to be honest, and I'm scared. The parking lot was a little foggy it seemed like," she said.
"It was like a foggy, like a lighter gray, like, I don't know if it was too concerning but I was concerned considering I have kids at home," she added.
Paul Holcomb, the site manager for PPG Industries, confirmed there was an equipment malfunction.
"This site produces paint and coatings for the industry and it was a piece of equipment that malfunctioned during the start-up process," Holcomb said.
Holcomb told KDKA that two people who were near the equipment got minor injuries and were taken to the hospital to be checked out. He said no chemicals were released and they're investigating.
"No chemicals were released. We're still evaluating what exactly happened. There was an audible noise, a boom, but there really isn't much site damage. No structural issues, there was no fire. Our safety containment systems functioned as designed. So, there really isn't much risk for the local neighbors and community," said Holcomb.
"We released all except Springdale fire department, just staying on scene just to monitor, and all the other fire departments have been released. So the situation is stable, there's no danger now," said Bruno Moretti, Allegheny Valley Regional Emergency Management Agency coordinator.
Meanwhile, some neighbors like Mangol now have new concerns about living near the paint plant.
"I never really thought about it until it happened, now I definitely want to move because I don't want to keep my kids around this for sure," Mangol said.
The site manager said employees have re-entered the building, and are working on what they can, but the site is going to remain in an investigative state until they understand exactly what happened and what the causes were.
