Chief: Wis. Plant Explosion Damage Exceeds $1 Million

Fire officials say an explosion at a door manufacturer in central Wisconsin scattered debris a half mile away, but the timing of the incident prevented any serious injuries.

A large pressurized vessel at Marshfield Door Systems exploded Monday about 3:20 a.m. and tossed an employee against a wall. Marshfield Fire Chief Jim Schmidt says the worker wasn’t seriously injured. Schmidt says the plant was in between shifts at the time and without that break there likely would have been additional injuries or worse.

Schmidt says damage at the plant will likely exceed $1 million. The chief says thunderstorms and lightning were moving through the area at the time, but fire investigators don’t yet know if the weather played a role in the explosion which could be felt at the fire station blocks away. No fire resulted from the explosion.