SIKESTON, MO (WSIL) -- Authorities responded to Potashnick Transportation Inc. (PTI) this morning in regards to a fire inside the building with people inside.
Personnel with Sikeston Department of Public Safety Fire Division, New Madrid County Ambulance, and South Scott Ambulance arrived on scene at 411 Lynual in Sikeston at 7:12 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Once there, crews went inside the shop and found two people severely injured. The first set of crews provided immediate care for the two people injured while the second set of crewmembers went in and extinguished the fire.
Authorities determined two employees were cutting on an empty 55-gallon drum when it exploded.
Sikeston DPS stated the workers were using a cutting torch containing explosive vapors. After the drum caught fire, it immediately exploded and hit one of the men in the head.
One man suffered an injury to his head and burns to his body, according to Sikeston DPS.
A second employee had burns on the lower part of his body.
Both were treated on scene and then taken to a local hospital.
The shop received moderate fire damage.
