Three injured in Sidney plant explosion

SIDNEY, Ohio (WDTN) - "I saw all the lights and ambulance and fire department and I'm thinking, man, something is not good," says Scott Thomas.

Thomas works down the street at the other Ivex Protective Packaging Plant in Sidney.  

He raced down to the plant on Stolle Avenue to try to help his coworkers.

"I came over here because I was hoping that nobody got hurt and to see how bad the damage was," explains Thomas.

Fire officials tell us there was an explosion, followed by a fire around 11 Friday night at the plant that turns plastic pellets into foam for packaging.

"There were four people in the plant at the time.  They accounted for each other, upon our arrival.  One called 911.  The fire alarm worked, the sprinkler system worked.  All the reactionary devices in place did their job to keep this building from burning to the ground," comments Sidney Assistant Fire Chief Cameron Haller.

He says the building is severely damaged.

Two employees were treated at the hospital for second degree burns but have since been released.

"When something like this happens, you're really unprepared for this.  So, it's not like a house fire.  You get caught by surprise and you do everything you can to make sure everyone is safe," says plant supervisor Terry Stotler.

Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the explosion.