N.C. ambulance plant explosion injures 3

WSOCtv

ASHE COUNTY, N.C. — Investigators are trying to figure out what triggered a flash fire at an Ashe County plant Monday afternoon.

Three workers had to be rushed from the plant, on American Way. The workers were injured moving rags from one container to another in the paint shop.

American Emergency Vehicles employs more than 370 people in Ashe County. It is the biggest producer of ambulances in the country. It builds 1,100 a year, but Friday it was emergency crews rushing to the company after a flash fire in the paint shop. "We're transferring some rags — these are cleaning rags — from a small container to a larger container. They are both safety containers. Something happened during that transfer where we had a flash, where a flame came up and hurt the employees. It burned them," said Randy Hanson, vice president of manufacturing.

Full story: Officials: Flash fire injures 2 employees at ambulance plant