Explosion at NDK Plant Kills Trucker
By James Middleton
The Boone County Journal
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on December 8, the NDK Plant in Belvidere did just what it was designed to do if an explosion occurred, the building broke apart. The problem that resulted was that one man, a truck driver at the Belvidere Oasis located about a quarter mile from the NDK site, was killed by the flying debris and one other person was treated for her minor injuries at another location.
Belvidere authorities identified the man as Ronald Greenfield 63, of Chesterton, Ind., who had stopped at the Belvidere Oasis for a rest stop. He was walking through the parking lot when the explosion occurred. The Belvidere Oasis is on I-90 at the south edge of Belvidere and the NDK Plant is located immediately adjacent to the Oasis on Crystal Parkway, south of US Route 20.
Sources have indicated that because of the force of the explosion and the unexpected result, likely there was a gas leak that was the root cause. However, that element remains under investigation.
After the explosion occurred the westbound entrance ramp to the Interstate was closed for more than two hours. Sources also indicated that the victim was pronounced dead at the scene but he was transported to St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford where additional lifesaving measures were unsuccessfully employed.
Belvidere Fire Chief David Worrell also reported that a woman at a nearby manufacturing facility, Grupo Antolin Illinois Inc. was injured; however, she was treated and released.
The building where the explosion occurred encompasses more than 55,000 square feet of working space and houses NDK Crystal and NDK America, Inc. The site serves as the North American headquarters for Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
The company’s website describes their work as: “NDK manufactures and supplies highly accurate, highly reliable crystal products using advanced technology and thorough quality control.” Their website also features a variety of products shown that include clock oscillators, voltage-controlled crystal oscillators and synthetic quartz crystal optical components. The website further identifies the NDK product line has practical application in the mobile communications, automotive and short-range wireless industries.
For the time being, as a result of the explosion all manufacturing operations have ceased at the plant as a number of investigation are underway, led by state and federal officials. Local authorities are standing by to provide security assistance to the investigators as the process moves forward.
The time needed to conduct the investigation into the incident, according to some sources, could take many months. Belvidere Mayor Frederic Brereton confirmed he was told the many investigations could take months to complete. It was expected that preliminary investigators would begin arriving as early as Wednesday, December 9, with more to follow.
Soon after the incident occurred on Monday, representatives of the regional office of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were on the site evaluating the situation. The purpose of their investigation was to determine if safety and health requirements had been met and were being employed at the plant.
It was further confirmed that members of other federal investigative offices will also soon travel to Belvidere. Members of the U.S. Chemical and Hazard Investigation Board are also expected to arrive by Wednesday, December 9 to begin their review. It is also expected that representatives of the Department of Homeland Security will arrive to conduct their review of the site and the facility.
The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office is also expected to send their representatives to conduct an investigation from their point of view.
The location of the explosion was found on Monday, according to Belvidere Fire Chief David Worrell. He indicated to media outlets on Monday that the pressurized container where synthetic quartz crystals are grown at the west side of the building was where the explosion occurred. It was further reported that a gas explosion was the most logical explanation of what occurred.
Some from the plant who are familiar with the area commented they have often smelled a strong scent of gas at the site. However, it was also reported by other officials from preliminary investigation, that the smell of gas was relatively common at or around the site near the Belvidere Oasis.
As a sidebar to the story, the website, www.justicenewsflash.com a website dedicated to alerting lawyers of incidents that have occurred around the world that could be of interest, produced a news release on the Belvidere explosion. The news release begins, “Legal news for Illinois personal injury attorneys. An explosion fatally injured a trucker who was hundreds of feet away. Illinois personal injury attorney’s alert, an explosion at a NDK America plant killed a trucker hundreds of feet away.”
It appears that in addition to federal and state investigators spending time at the site of the explosion, others might also come by for their investigation.
Traffic on I-90 speeds past the remains of the NDK plant in Belvidere, Ill. on Thursday, December 10, 2009. The plant exploded earlier in the week killing one person.
Photo by Curtis Clegg
The Boone County Journal
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on December 8, the NDK Plant in Belvidere did just what it was designed to do if an explosion occurred, the building broke apart. The problem that resulted was that one man, a truck driver at the Belvidere Oasis located about a quarter mile from the NDK site, was killed by the flying debris and one other person was treated for her minor injuries at another location.
Belvidere authorities identified the man as Ronald Greenfield 63, of Chesterton, Ind., who had stopped at the Belvidere Oasis for a rest stop. He was walking through the parking lot when the explosion occurred. The Belvidere Oasis is on I-90 at the south edge of Belvidere and the NDK Plant is located immediately adjacent to the Oasis on Crystal Parkway, south of US Route 20.
Sources have indicated that because of the force of the explosion and the unexpected result, likely there was a gas leak that was the root cause. However, that element remains under investigation.
After the explosion occurred the westbound entrance ramp to the Interstate was closed for more than two hours. Sources also indicated that the victim was pronounced dead at the scene but he was transported to St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford where additional lifesaving measures were unsuccessfully employed.
Belvidere Fire Chief David Worrell also reported that a woman at a nearby manufacturing facility, Grupo Antolin Illinois Inc. was injured; however, she was treated and released.
The building where the explosion occurred encompasses more than 55,000 square feet of working space and houses NDK Crystal and NDK America, Inc. The site serves as the North American headquarters for Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
The company’s website describes their work as: “NDK manufactures and supplies highly accurate, highly reliable crystal products using advanced technology and thorough quality control.” Their website also features a variety of products shown that include clock oscillators, voltage-controlled crystal oscillators and synthetic quartz crystal optical components. The website further identifies the NDK product line has practical application in the mobile communications, automotive and short-range wireless industries.
For the time being, as a result of the explosion all manufacturing operations have ceased at the plant as a number of investigation are underway, led by state and federal officials. Local authorities are standing by to provide security assistance to the investigators as the process moves forward.
The time needed to conduct the investigation into the incident, according to some sources, could take many months. Belvidere Mayor Frederic Brereton confirmed he was told the many investigations could take months to complete. It was expected that preliminary investigators would begin arriving as early as Wednesday, December 9, with more to follow.
Soon after the incident occurred on Monday, representatives of the regional office of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were on the site evaluating the situation. The purpose of their investigation was to determine if safety and health requirements had been met and were being employed at the plant.
It was further confirmed that members of other federal investigative offices will also soon travel to Belvidere. Members of the U.S. Chemical and Hazard Investigation Board are also expected to arrive by Wednesday, December 9 to begin their review. It is also expected that representatives of the Department of Homeland Security will arrive to conduct their review of the site and the facility.
The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office is also expected to send their representatives to conduct an investigation from their point of view.
The location of the explosion was found on Monday, according to Belvidere Fire Chief David Worrell. He indicated to media outlets on Monday that the pressurized container where synthetic quartz crystals are grown at the west side of the building was where the explosion occurred. It was further reported that a gas explosion was the most logical explanation of what occurred.
Some from the plant who are familiar with the area commented they have often smelled a strong scent of gas at the site. However, it was also reported by other officials from preliminary investigation, that the smell of gas was relatively common at or around the site near the Belvidere Oasis.
As a sidebar to the story, the website, www.justicenewsflash.com a website dedicated to alerting lawyers of incidents that have occurred around the world that could be of interest, produced a news release on the Belvidere explosion. The news release begins, “Legal news for Illinois personal injury attorneys. An explosion fatally injured a trucker who was hundreds of feet away. Illinois personal injury attorney’s alert, an explosion at a NDK America plant killed a trucker hundreds of feet away.”
It appears that in addition to federal and state investigators spending time at the site of the explosion, others might also come by for their investigation.
Traffic on I-90 speeds past the remains of the NDK plant in Belvidere, Ill. on Thursday, December 10, 2009. The plant exploded earlier in the week killing one person.Photo by Curtis Clegg
posted by Curtis Clegg at 2:52 PM
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