Date: January 27, 2019
Location: Dowagiac, Michigan (USA)
Address: 202 Spaulding Street, 49047
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Sawdust
Industry: Furniture Manufacturing (Wood Products)
Equipment: Auger System
Company: Ameriwood
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Ameriwood is a home and office furniture manufacturer whose products are carried by leading retailers. It was founded in 1977, is headquartered in Tiffin, Ohio, and has approximately 3,000 employees. The Dowagiac location has 400 employees.
Incident Description:
On January 28, 2019, WNDU reported an explosion and large fire at a furniture manufacturer in Dowagiac, Michigan.
Fire crews from six different departments were called out to the plant at around 5:30 p.m. on January 27. They found fire on the roof and worked together to put it out. Company officials stated that sprinklers minimized damage inside of the building, but the roof was another story.
WNDU later reported that the Director of Public Safety went through the premises and found damage to doors and some of the side-wall sheet metal on the building that had been blown out slightly. He said it suggested that an explosion had occurred.
Woodworking Network reported that the explosion was believed to have been sparked by sawdust in the plant’s auger system, which feeds stored sawdust to a burner which is part of a boiler heating system.
A Dowagiac Fire Department representative said that no one was inside at the time and there were no injuries.
Sources:
WNDU (January 28)
WNDU (January 28- later edition)
Woodworking Network
