DANBY—On Wednesday at about 9 a.m., state police from the Rutland Barracks were called to an accident in Danby involving explosives. Police said Kenneth Williams, an employee of Vermont Quarries Corp., had been attempting to dispose of blasting caps when an explosion occurred, injuring him in the face. Williams was transported to Rutland Regional Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries and released.
After the accident a number of unexploded blasting caps remained and the state police bomb squad was quickly dispatched to dispose of them, which they completed by 4:30 p.m.
No roads were closed, as the incident took place on the company’s property. No other injuries occurred as a result of the explosion.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration responded to the scene and stated that a penalty will be issued against Vermont Quarries Corp. for improper disposal and possession of explosives without a permit, advising that the manufacturer of the blasting caps should have been contacted for their removal and proper disposal. A second penalty will be issued by the federal department for failure to train employees to properly dispose of explosives.
