More than 100 workers were evacuated from the Nutrimix Feeds Ltd Nutrina Division in Marabella yesterday after an explosion at the facility.
There were no reports of injuries.
Chief executive officer Ronnie Mohammed said the incident was confined to an ancillary building at the facility and an investigation has been launched.
Guardian Media was told that one of the steam broilers malfunctioned and exploded.
The explosion was heard around 3.30 pm followed by fire flames at the auxiliary area located at the Harmony Hall Industrial Estate.
However, the fire was contained before the Fire Service arrived.
A worker, who requested anonymity, said, “There is a gas line running to the steam broiler. The broiler start to malfunction and like it couldn’t take the pressure and it gave way so the broiler blow up. Everything ruptured into pieces. There are two broilers on the same spot but only one malfunction and ruptured everything. The galvanise, the steel pipes, the wall, the power, line everything went up into pieces.”
“All we heard was a rumbling sound and then there was an explosion with the explosion we saw like a fire ball and a patch of smoke. I saw pieces of debris up in the air. When I saw that I just take cover. I was safe but I secured myself. Less than five or 10 second the fire contain itself and then the Fire Service came. A maintenance worker lock off the main supply gas so there was no more gas to feed the fire,” the worker said
He said no workers were in the area when the explosion occurred.
He added: “The fire alarm went off and we evaluated and did a head count and ensured everyone was accounted for.”
A worker, employed at a nearby business, recalled, “We heard a loud explosion and our building began to shake up, almost like an earthquake.”
When they looked through the window, he said they saw fire coming from a building.
“The fire was at least seven feet high. The workers evacuate calmly to muster point and within two minutes everybody was out,” he recalled.
In less than three minutes, he said the fire was contained.
Fire fighters from the Mon Repos Fire Station responded and eventually gave the all clear for the workers to return to the building.
However, operations did not continue for the day. Just last month there was also an explosion at the NiQuan plant at the Petrotrin Pointe- a -Pierre compound. There were no report of injuries from that incident.