Tank explodes at Spokane sewage plant; three injured, one missing
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Rescue boats searched the river and Spokane County sheriff's deputies searched the river banks near the Wastewater Treatment Plant northwest of the city.
Four treatment plant workers had gone to check on an unusual pressure buildup at the tank and were either on or near the tank at the time of the 3 p.m. explosion, Fire Chief Bobby Williams said. The cause of the pressure buildup and explosion was under investigation.
One worker suffered breathing problems and was airlifted to Sacred Heart Medical Center. Nursing Supervisor David Kellogg said a 52-year-old male was in serious condition late today.
A second worker, with what Williams described as minor injuries, was taken to Deaconess Medical Center for evaluation and a third suffered injuries so minor he did not require treatment. Deaconess declined to release information on the employee's condition, citing privacy laws.
All four employees were men. Officials did not release their names.
The explosion blew a "relatively small hole" near the top of the tank, Williams said. That loosened the tank's lid, which then fell into the tank, causing some of the contents to splash out.
There was no immediate word on the size of the spill but officials said the tank is 30 feet tall, and was still filled to a height of 20 to 25 feet after the accident. The remaining contents of the tank were being pumped out.
Washington Department of Ecology spokeswoman Jani Gilbert said it was not known how much sewage sludge made it to the river, but the quantity was not believed to be significant.
The Spokane Regional Health District issued a warning for people living downstream to avoid withdrawing drinking water from the river, or using it to irrigate crops or for livestock use, for at least three days.
Gilbert said there are no municipal drinking water withdrawal points downstream from the plant. City employees will be testing the river water for bacterial contamination, she said.
Officials from the state Department of Labor and Industries were on the scene, but did not immediately respond to calls for comment.
"We haven't seen anything like this — it was not a normal operation," Spokane Public Works Director Roger Flint said. He said the remainder of the plant was operating normally.
The plant is on the Spokane River, several miles northwest of downtown Spokane, near Riverside State Park.
The tank is one of three "digester" tanks at the treatment plant, which treats 44 million gallons of sewage a day.
The digesters break down sewage sludge before it is sent to another facility to remove liquids. The sludge then is generally sold to farmers as fertilizer.
No evacuations were ordered.
Williams said there was no threat of additional explosions.
City crews were to begin cleaning up the spilled sewage sludge on Tuesday, Gilbert said.