Update: 2 Seriously Injured in Explosion at McNeilus in Dodge Center
Update: Two employees were airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, two others were treated at St. Marys in Rochester, and two more sustained minor injuries after a paint building exploded about 10:30AM at McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing in Dodge Center, according to the Rochester Post-Bulletin.
The Dodge County sheriff said all McNeilus employees are accounted for after this morning's explosion. The identities of the victims haven't been released, but their families have been notified, said Dodge County Sheriff Scott Rose.
Rose confirmed that the explosion took place in a booth in the final paint building and that the facility's doors were damaged. Most of the damage seems to be contained to that area; authorities are investigating the cause. Most of the the employees at that area were gone for training.
The Post-Bulletin reported that production was shut down for Wednesday and Thursday's operating hours remained unknown
Responding to the scene were Dodge Center, Kasson and West Concord fire departments; Dodge Center, Hayfield, West Concord and Gold Cross ambulance; the Kasson Police Department; Olmsted and Dodge County sheriffs; Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Transportation and Mayo One.
McNeilus employs 1,100 people in production and 350 in administrative services.
We'll update this story as more information becomes available.