N.H. Factory Explosion At Ball Bearing Plant Injures 15

An N.H. factory explosion on Monday blew out ground floor windows at a ball bearing plant in New Hampshire.

Fifteen employees were taken to hospital for treatment, but a company spokesman confirmed that none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.

Authorities are unsure at this time what caused the explosion, but are pleased that following the blast there was no fire. A blaze after the explosion would obviously have made the situation much worse.

It also doesn’t look like the factory will be operating for the time being, as investigators need to gain proper access to the factory to ascertain what caused the explosion.

The factory, which is located in a sleepy southwest New Hampshire town, manufactures high-tech parts for the aerospace industry and employs over 700 people.

The owners of the factory aren’t sure how many employees were working at the time of the explosion but estimate that usually 450 employees work at that time.

The owner of a hair design store located a quarter-mile from the factory, Bill Brock, said he heard a large explosion and then saw roughly 30 ambulances and other emergency service vehicles pass by.

Gov. Maggie Hassan said she was very happy to hear that all of the employees at the plant were accounted for, and offered her words of support in a statement:

“My thoughts and prayers go out to those injured in today’s explosion, to their families and loved ones, and to the entire Peterborough area where NH Ball Bearings is such an important member of the community.”

Of the 15 injured people who were treated at the Monadnock Community Hospital, two needed to be flown to other hospitals for more serious treatments; seven others were released by Monday evening.

The reason for the N.H factory explosion is still a mystery, and investigators must now try to find out the cause.