Quaker Chemical Corp. reported that one of its employees died as the result of an explosion at General Motors Marion Metal Center in Marion, Ind., on July 1. Several other plant operators were also injured in the incident.
A July 1 Associated Press news report in Marion cited a local fire chief attributing the accident to an explosion and subsequent leak of a chlorine dioxide tank used for water treatment, but that assessment may have been premature, Joseph Berquist, Quakers vice president and managing director, told Lube Report.
Quaker is working with GM and fire officials to investigate the cause of the explosion, Berquist said.
The GM Marion Metal Center, where Quaker conducts fluids and inventory management and other contract services, is a metal-stamping and sheet metal assembly plant that employs around 1,600 workers, according to GMs website.
Conshohocken, Pa.-based Quaker Chemical provides process fluids such as metal forming fluids, metal removal fluids, pickle oils, surface treatments, hydraulic fluids, cleaners, coatings, and a wide range of other specialty chemicals.