Date: October 10, 2019
Location: Hörsching, Linz-Land (Austria)
Address: Flughafenstraße 8, 4063
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Plastic Dust
Industry: Waste Recycling (Natural Resources)
Equipment: Press Machine
Company: Energie AG Oberösterreich Umwelt Service GmbH
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: One Killed, Eight Injured
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company’s website, Energie AG Oberösterreich Umwelt Service GmbH supplies Austrian businesses and consumers with electricity, gas, heat, water and waste management and information and communication technology services. It was founded in 1920 and employs over 4,300 people. The Hörsching location is a waste sorting facility.
Incident Description:
On October 10, 2019, Laumat.at reported an early-morning explosion and fire at a waste disposal company in Hörsching, Austria.
Eighteen fire brigades with 250 firefighters responded. When they arrived shortly after the incident occurred in a press machine at 8:00 a.m., they found black smoke issuing from the building, wood and rock debris on the driveway, and screaming workers rushing outside.
The police stated that at the time of the explosion, 18 people were working at the site. The Chief Emergency Doctor of the Red Cross said that three were seriously injured and six others received lesser injuries. Two of the seriously injured were flown via emergency helicopters to specialist clinics.
The company issued a press release stating that two halls were completely destroyed. According to Der Standard, after the fire was extinguished, two demolition excavators were sent for to rip off the roof so that more fires could be identified and put out. Although some of the 18 fire brigades had been sent away, the rest were prepared to remain for the night.
Company officials did not yet know the value of the damaged property, but estimated that it was in the million-plus range.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
Update:
On November 20, 2019, Energie Ag reported one employee had died as a result of his injuries.