Explosion at the Largest 3M Plant in the U.S. Injures 3

A “process upset” during caused a piece of equipment to explode at a 3M's production site in Hutchinson, MN last Thursday, injuring three people and causing part of the plant to be shut down while an investigation into the cause was conducted.

The explosion occurred at about 1:30 p.m., Hutchinson Police Chief Dan Hatten said in a report by the Associated Press (AP), adding that no fire was observed. A spokesperson for 3M told Minneapolis-based NBC News affiliate KARE that the explosion in the equipment occurred due to an “upset in the cooling process.”

3M's company's plant in Hutchinson is its largest in the U.S., according to the company's website, producing an array of tapes, adhesives, and household-related products all five of 3M's divisions. 

Two people received minor injuries and one person was seriously injured, Hatten said in the AP coverage. The victims were transported to area hospitals for treatment.

“Safety and security of our employees is our top priority,” 3M spokesperson Fanna Haile-Selassie told the Hutchinson Leader. “A small area of the plant has been shut down pending an internal investigation.”

Local police said in the Leader that the incident did not pose any chemical risks.

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