Explosion Kills Two Sterling Boiler Employees

A blast at the SG Solutions Facility in Terre Haute killed two employees from an Evansville maintenance company Monday morning. The workers died when super-heated gas erupted from a nearby pipe. Both were employees of Evansville-based Sterling Boiler and Mechanical, a power plant maintenance company. The accident happened just before 11 a.m. Central time at SG Solutions, a synthetic natural gas plant along the Wabash River. Sterling employs 450 people nationwide. SG solutions says two men who were reported missing are the two who died. They were Danny Turner from Marshall, Illinois and David Shoemaker of Rosedale, Indiana. For immediate release Contact: Sabrina Kapp, Manager of Communications, Wabash Valley Power 317-409-2831 BREAKING NEWS: SG Solutions, Wabash Valley Power Comment on Terre Haute Plant Accident TERRE HAUTE, IND.-SG Solutions plant manager, Richard Payonk, addressed the media this afternoon following a fatal accident at its pet coke gasification plant in Terre Haute, Ind. Two contractors employed by Sterling Boiler & Mechanical, Inc. were killed. The accident occurred at SG Solutions just before 11 a.m. today when a flanged opening on a high pressure vessel containing synthetic gas failed. Federal, state and local officials have been notified, and the investigation is ongoing. There is no danger to those nearby the plant. "The safety of our workers and contractors is our top concern, and were vested in working with officials to find the cause of the accident and to make sure weve done everything in our power to prevent future accidents from occurring," plant manager, Richard Payonk said. Sterling Boiler Controller Ken Wahl issued a written statement this afternoon stating: "Sterling is assisting local authorities in every way possible in determining the cause of the explosion," the statement said. "Our hearts and prayers are with the families of these individuals. Production at the plant stopped immediately following the incident and will resume once an investigation is concluded and all safety procedures are evaluated. Prior to todays incident the facility had experienced no fatalities since opening in 1995. Wabash Valley Power owns 50 percent of SG Solutions, which operates the gasification plant that transforms petroleum coke into synthetic natural gas. Wabash Valley Power is a generation and transmission cooperative (G&T) headquartered in Indianapolis. The G&T provides wholesale electricity to 28 electric distribution cooperatives in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. Collectively, they serve more than 350,000 homes, farms, businesses and industries. SG Solutions is a national leader in the development of synthetic gas for use in the generation of electricity for homes and businesses. As one of only two Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) facilities in the United States, SG Solutions has received national recognition as a flagship project of the Department of Energy Clean Coal Program. 3:00 CST News Release: From: Wabash Valley Power BREAKING NEWS: SG Solutions Provides 4 p.m. Briefing on Terre Haute Plant Accident TERRE HAUTE, IND.—Wabash Valley Power (Indianapolis, Ind.) has confirmed two contractors from Sterling Boiler (Evansville, Ind.) were killed in an accident at SG Solutions, a pet coke gasification plant in West Terre Haute, Ind. The accident occurred just before 11 a.m. today when a flanged opening on a high pressure vessel containing synthetic gas failed. Federal, state and local officials have been notified, and the investigation is ongoing. There is no danger to those nearby the plant. Details about the accident will be given to the media during a briefing at 4 p.m. today. The briefing will take place outside the SG Solutions plant, located at 444 W. Sandford Ave., West Terre Haute, Ind. Wabash Valley Power owns 50 percent of SG Solutions, which owns and operates the gasification plant that transforms petroleum coke into synthetic natural gas. Wabash Valley Power is a generation and transmission cooperative (G&T) headquartered in Indianapolis. The G&T provides wholesale electricity to 28 electric distribution cooperatives in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. Collectively, they serve more than 350,000 homes, farms, businesses and industries. SG Solutions is a national leader in the development of synthetic gas for use in the generation of electricity for homes and businesses. As one of only two Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) facilities in the United States, SG Solutions has received national recognition as a flagship project of the Department of Energy Clean Coal Program.