Five Environmental Workers On Their Way to Ohio Metal Plant Explosion, Killed in Plane Crash

On Monday, I reported on an explosion that took place at a metal factory in Ohio.

The incident came just two weeks after a chemical explosion plagued the town of East Palestine, also in Ohio.

“JUST IN: Explosion reported in Bedford, Ohio at a metal factory,” I tweeted at the time. “Ohio can’t catch a break.”

SEE IT:

JUST IN: Explosion reported in Bedford, Ohio at a metal factory.

Ohio can’t catch a break.pic.twitter.com/X1IRLsdAr1

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 20, 2023

The Daily Mail reported at the time:

Emergency services have also requested the development of several medical helicopters.

The explosion in Bedford, Ohio is located just about 70 miles northwest of East Palestine, where a toxic train derailed on February 3. It is just south of Cleveland.

Witnesses told local News 5 that there were two explosions, a small one followed by a larger one around 2.30pm.

The brick wall of the building was completely blown away, with bricks hitting cars and businesses nearby. Debris was also blown across the street.

The story just took an extremely surprising and upsetting turn.

On Wednesday, five environmental workers left the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas to visit the metal plant disaster zone in Ohio to assess the damage.

The workers were from The Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (CTEH), which aids in large-scale recover for emergency disasters.

Shortly after takeoff, the plane that the workers were in crashed outside of a 3M plant.

They were all killed including the pilot.

“We are incredibly saddened to report the loss of our Little Rock colleagues,” senior vice president of CTEH Dr. Paul Nony said to The Daily Wire in a press release. “We ask everyone to keep the families of those lost and the entire CTEH team in their thoughts and prayers.”

The Daily Wire reports:

Federal Aviation Administration officials told local media the agency and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate the crash.

A spokesperson from CTEH told The Daily Wire that the employees were responding to the incident at the I. Schumann and Company Metals Plant in Bedford, Ohio, after an explosion and large fire erupted on Monday, killing one maintenance worker and sending 13 others to the hospital with injuries.

“An explosion of unknown origin struck our Bedford, Ohio, facility today resulting in injuries to employees and significant damage to the facility,” I. Schumann & Co. said in a statement after the explosion. “Our efforts now are focused on supporting the first responders who came on scene quickly to help our employees.”

“We intend to cooperate with OSHA and other officials in their investigation as we search for answers in this tragic accident,” I. Schumann’s statement added. “We are working with our employees regarding their needs while the facility is idle and hope to have clarity on our operations in the near future.”

Authorities still have not determined what caused the explosion. Many online find the two events extremely ironic.

This is actually insane.

Five environmental scientists en route to the Ohio metal plant explosion that I reported on the other day, killed in plane crash.

What are the chances?pic.twitter.com/p3Qd8o4YQp

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 23, 2023