Explosion at Grays Ferry energy plant; 1 person slightly hurt
An explosion at a steam-generating plant in Grays Ferry rocked the neighborhood Wednesday afternoon. The incident happened at Veolia Energy's Schuylkill Station facility at 2600 Christian St. shortly after 3 p.m.
An explosion at a steam-generating plant in Grays Ferry rocked the neighborhood Wednesday afternoon. The incident happened at Veolia Energy's Schuylkill Station facility at 2600 Christian St. shortly after 3 p.m.
Paul Whitmore, a company spokesman, said one employee suffered minor cuts and was treated at the scene, but he did not know how that person was injured.
Whitmore said employees reported hearing a loud noise, but said he did not know what happened.
"It's not clear what exploded, if anything," Whitmore said.
Philadelphia's Office of Emergency Management reported that a boiler exploded at the plant, but Whitmore could not confirm that.
In a statement, the company called the incident "an eruption."
"The incident was contained to the inside of the facility and there was no fire," the statement read. "There was one minor injury treated at the scene and all employees have been accounted for and are OK."
The Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments said they received numerous calls about a loud explosion about 3:15.
The Office of Emergency Management said it was working with the company to assess any damage.
The Schuylkill Station plant provides thermal energy to about 300 clients in Philadelphia, the company said. It is the main plant generating steam for the Center City steam loop and has a capacity of four million pounds of steam per hour. It also generates electricity.
Veolia, based in Chicago, said its thermal energy services were not interrupted. It said it was shifting its "steam load to our satellite facility as a backup."
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Staff writer Andy Maykuth contributed to this article.