Explosion Rocks Kansas Aviation Plant, 15 Injured

An explosion at a aircraft manufacturing plant in Wichita, Kansas, Friday left at least 15 people injured, one critically, authorities said.

A rupture in a 3-inch nitrogen gas line touched off the 8 a.m. blast at the Beechcraft plant. Stephanie Harder, spokeswoman for Beechcraft parent, Textron Aviation, told reporters the explosion occurred in a building complex used to house “composite manufacturing and experimental aircraft.”

“We can confirm that all of our employees and the guests on-site have been accounted for,” Harder told reporters. “Our primary concern right now is making sure that anybody who has been impacted and injured is being taken care of to the best of our ability in cooperation with medical response and our local medical teams.”

Sedgwick County EMS Director John Gallagher said at least 15 people were injured. Four were treated at the scene while 11 were taken to nearby hospitals. One is reported in critical condition. No deaths were reported.

County Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Wegner said only a handful of workers were on site due to the holiday season.

“The plant closed or shut down for the holiday season so the numbers that would have been here, were not, so it was a skeleton crew,” Wegner said.

The plant’s gas lines were shut down, removing the risk to nearby residents. Crews have also been sent into the plant to begin assessing damage and structural integrity of surrounding buildings, Wegner said.