8 Workers Injured In Decatur Explosion At Archer Daniels Midland Processing Plant
Unsafe Premises - September 11, 2023
Eight Workers Injured After Explosion at Archer Daniels Midland Soybean Processing Plant In Decatur
DECATUR, ILLINOIS (September 11, 2023) – At least 8 workers were injured in a explosion at the Archer Daniels Midland soybean processing plant in Decatur.
Macon County officials are saying that the accident took place around 7:00 p.m. on Sunday. There was an unexpected explosion and fire at the plant that sent a tower of smoke in to the air.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victims. A total of eight workers were injured in the explosion and 6 were taken away in an ambulance.
The main fire at Archer Daniels Midland was extinguished overnight. There was another fire at the plant on August 28. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Decatur Industrial Explosions
Despite continued improvements to workplace safety standards, many workers are still injured every year in industrial fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association, “Between 2011 and 2015, municipal fire departments in the U.S. responded to an estimated average of 37,910 fires at industrial or manufacturing properties each year, with annual losses from these fires estimated at 16 civilian deaths, 273 civilian injures, and $1.2 billion in direct property damage.” There are many steps that processing plants should take to prevent explosions.
- Managers should identify and assess potential explosion hazards at the plant.
- Flammable material should be stored in designated areas with proper ventilation.
- All equipment at processing plants should be properly installed, maintained and suitable for hazardous areas.
- Employees should be trained to identify unsafe workplace conditions.
When a worker is injured on the job, they will typically have recourse through worker’s compensation. The worker’s compensation system in Illinois is based off of a no-fault insurance scheme. There is no need for an injured worker to demonstrate liability after any accident. Depending on the facts of any case, an injured worker may also be able to seek aid through a third party liability claim.
A third party may include a company that created machinery used at a processing plant. Companies have a legal responsibility to create products that are reasonably safe. If a piece of machinery at an industrial plant malfunctioned due to some sort of design defect, this could form the basis of a civil claim. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any industrial accident.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- A thorough investigation should be conducted.
It can be hard to know what to do after any industrial accident. Many workers are so seriously injured that they might not be able to return to their jobs for several weeks or months. Others may have to live with permanent injuries. Any person that is injured in an industrial explosion may be able to seek some measure of justice through a wrongful death claim.
Investigating Accidents At The Archer Daniels Midland Processing Plant
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to all of the workers injured at Archer Daniels Midland. It is our sincere hope that everyone will be able to make a full recovery. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an industrial accident in Decatur? Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they are entitled to. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
