Date: December 5, 2018
Location: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Address: Calle Anibal de Espinosa 301, 10410
Type: Potential Dust Explosion
Fuel: Plastic Dust
Industry: Plastic Fabrication
Equipment: Gas Pipes
Company: Polyplas
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: Five killed, 66 injured
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Polyplas was established in 1957 in Santo Domingo. It has approximately 1,200 employees, facilities comprising 100,000 square feet and over 300 different products and services. The company’s Puerto Rico-based non-alcoholic beverage production and distribution unit owns the national brand of purified water.
Incident Description:
On December 5, 2018, the Idaho Statesman reported an explosion at a plastics company in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Authorities stated that at least three people were killed and 44 were injured. Those injured included 13 children at a school near the plastics company. The next day, the Washington Post reported that the death toll had climbed to five and the injury count was now 66 people.
Although early press coverage suggested that a boiler explosion had occurred, the business owner stated that the incident was due to an “uncontrollable” gas leak and that 98% of the workers on the premises were safely evacuated. He insisted that the company had always followed strict security protocols in its more than 50 years in business.
Authorities are still investigating the incident.
Sources:
Idaho Statesman
Washington Post
