Kentucky Plant Blast Injures Four

BURNSIDE, Ky. – An explosion rocked a charcoal plant Friday in southern Kentucky and injured four employees who were taken to hospitals.

Police say the explosion occurred shortly before noon Friday at the Kingsford Charcoal Plant, just south of Burnside.

Three of the injured were airlifted outside the area for treatment, said Larry Wesley, chief deputy with the sheriff’s office. Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital spokeswoman Susan Wilson says the other injured worker was being treated for burns there and was expected to be taken to another hospital.

Authorities did not know the extent of damage to the plant or what caused the explosion. Wesley says the employees were working in an area of the plant where charcoal was housed in a tank.

Burnside is about 85 miles south of Lexington.