Explosion at my place of employment.

[palmer6strings]

So, very few of you know where I'm from or what I do for a living.
I live in a small town in Missouri, and work in the next town over at a powerplant.
I'm an operator, (which means I run the equipment making electricity) and make good money at it. (Not trying to gloat)

I said all that to say this.

We were planning on bringing up our units for testing so we've been working on them to make sure they will work properly to come online next week.

I took off at noon yesterday to take care of some personal business and about 2 hours later I start getting calls and messages asking what happened at the powerplant. Come to find out one of the units exploded. I don't really know how to explain this to anyone unfamiliar with large steam boilers and machinery, but this outdoes those nice movie explosions. Lots of structural damage to the building and the boiler is toast.

There where to injuries to my friends. One got sent to the hospital to get some stitches the other is slightly deff. Everyone else around was just roughed up from the blast. I really thank God I wasn't there because it could have meant death of standing in the wrong spot.

I just want to say, next time you turn on your tv and consoles to play games, just remember there are people like my friends and I that are doing pretty dangerous work so we can enjoy our games.

Thanks for all that read. Just wanted to vent because it's a scary situation even for those that doesn't work in these environments.

I'll try, and let's emphasize TRY to get some pictures, but we aren't really allowed to take pictures but I can't promise anything.

[Arseen]

Scary.

But luckily nobody died nor got bad injuries.

[banisher]

Be careful.

[bender3455]

I'm glad you weren't there!  I used to work for Alstom with combined cycle power plants and are very familiar with issues like the one you stated.  Compressor surges were always something that would make your heart skip a beat.

[palmer6strings]

Let's just pray that I get to keep my job. Not that would fire me because of what happened because it wasn't anyone's fault, but because they are taking all of our equipment off the books. That means no more electric production here.

Fingered crossed friends! 

[banisher]

I hope you can keep your job.

[Superchop]

I wish you the best of luck!  I do hope you don't get fired but if that's the worst thing that comes out of this for you, then it's really not so bad considering what could've happened.  But it is scary how things can change in the blink of an eye

Not to take away from your story or experience but my cousin lost a good friend to a mechanical malfunction at a metal shop I believe it was.  He was just feet away and it could have easily been him too that would've gotten killed.

[Togs8896]

That's some scary stuff, here's to a quick recovery for your co-workers and company

[TDIRunner]

That's scary stuff.  We had an explosion at our plant about 2 years ago with a few injuries.  You just never know.