UPDATED January 25, 2023– A second person has died as a result of a January 18 explosion at Quick Turn Anodizing in Guthrie, KY. Alex Wix, 21, of Westmoreland, TN died on January 23 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he had been hospitalized for injuries he sustained in the blast.
Wix was the driver of the truck that was pumping chemical waste from the facility located on Second Street when, just before 1 p.m., the tank began to smoke or steam Seconds later, an explosion rocketed the 500-pound tank through a wall of the plant killing Quick Turn employee Bryan Bonilla, 34, of Clarksville, TN.
Investigators believe the explosion occurred after chemical waste mixed with used cooking oil in the tank, according to local media reports.
Guthrie city employee Benn Andrew Stahl, of Trenton, KY was eating lunch at a nearby cafe when he saw the tank’s end cap blow open and went to see if he could help, according to WSMV4. When the tank exploded, he suffered serious burns and was transported to Vanderbilt for treatment. He has since been released and is recovering at home.
Quick Turn President J. Lee Powell who sustained injuries in the blast also received treatment at Vanderbilt and is recovering at home.
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UPDATED: This post was originally published on January 19, 2023, and updated on January 25, 2023.