At least two workers were hospitalized on Monday, following an explosion at a vodka distillery in northeast Houston, Texas.
First responders were called to a two-alarm fire at the BJ Hooker’s Distillery at 1300 E. Richey Road around 10:00 a.m. on November 6, 2017. Fire crews arriving first on the scene reported heavy smoke coming from a metal warehouse building on the distillery’s premises.
Distillery Explosion Occurred While Workers Were Mixing Vodka
Founded in 2012, BJ Hooker’s distills a “handmade, premium vodka” that is sold at retail liquor stores throughout the Houston area.
First accounts had suggested that one of the vodka distillery’s propane tanks had exploded, causing the fire. However, it now appears that the blast occurred while workers were distilling a product called Michael Berry Moonshine.
“The cause of the explosion and fire is accidental,” Dean Hensley, Chief Investigator with the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office, said during a Monday morning news conference. “An employee was blending vodka with an electric immersion blender when the fumes ignited, causing an explosion and fire.”
No evacuations were ordered at the distillery, as the explosion and resulting fire were confined to the single warehouse.
At Least 2 Distillery Workers Rushed to Area Hospitals with Burn Injuries
The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office has confirmed that two workers were hospitalized with burn injuries following the explosion.
One of the injured workers was transported via Life Flight to Memorial Herman Texas Medical Center. The other was rushed to Houston Northwest Medical Center in an ambulance.
Information on their conditions has not been made available.
Some media reports have indicated that a third employee was taken to the hospital in a personal vehicle.
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