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Two men are facing charges after an investigation into chemical explosions and fires at a waste management facility in California last year. In announcing the charges, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office also released dramatic video that showed the moment 55-gallon drums alleged to be filled with hazardous waste exploded on March 27.It happened when waste from Riverbank-based Advanced Materials Manufacturing Technologies, LLC, (AM2T) was being offloaded at Gilton’s Resource Recovery Facility in Modesto.One Gilton worker suffered minor injuries in the initial explosion. According to the DA’s office, Gilton employees did not know the drums were filled with hazardous material, highly flammable powdered magnesium and aluminum.Later, firefighters who tried to put out the fire also put themselves in danger because the hazardous materials reacted with water to produce flammable hydrogen gas, which then led to a secondary explosion, the DA’s office said. No one was hurt in the second explosion and the fire was ultimately put out after being covered with dirt, the DA’s office said. Investigators also found additional 55-gallon drums filled with hazardous waste that were being illegally stored at AM2T’s facility, according to the DA’s office. AM2T owner Henry Meeks and AM2T manager Phillip Whitmore are accused of illegal storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste. Whitmore was arrested and booked into jail in connection with the alleged illegal dumping. An arrest warrant has been issued for Meeks.
Two men are facing charges after an investigation into chemical explosions and fires at a waste management facility in California last year.
In announcing the charges, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office also released dramatic video that showed the moment 55-gallon drums alleged to be filled with hazardous waste exploded on March 27.
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It happened when waste from Riverbank-based Advanced Materials Manufacturing Technologies, LLC, (AM2T) was being offloaded at Gilton’s Resource Recovery Facility in Modesto.
One Gilton worker suffered minor injuries in the initial explosion.
According to the DA’s office, Gilton employees did not know the drums were filled with hazardous material, highly flammable powdered magnesium and aluminum.
Later, firefighters who tried to put out the fire also put themselves in danger because the hazardous materials reacted with water to produce flammable hydrogen gas, which then led to a secondary explosion, the DA’s office said.
No one was hurt in the second explosion and the fire was ultimately put out after being covered with dirt, the DA’s office said.
Investigators also found additional 55-gallon drums filled with hazardous waste that were being illegally stored at AM2T’s facility, according to the DA’s office.
AM2T owner Henry Meeks and AM2T manager Phillip Whitmore are accused of illegal storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste.
Whitmore was arrested and booked into jail in connection with the alleged illegal dumping. An arrest warrant has been issued for Meeks.
