Man Injured in Oklahoma Plant Explosion Dies

November 21, 2008

Emergency crews responded this week to a major fire at a scrap yard in Arkoma, Okla., near the Oklahoma-Arkansas state line. The scrap yard is the same facility where a worker was critically injured in early November while attempting to salvage brass from an artillery round by cutting it with a blow torch.

Police say Stephen Fontenot died Nov. 18 at a Fort Smith hospital where he was taken after a device exploded Nov. 3.

Fort Smith, Ark., police say gas tanks were exploding Nov. 19 at Yaffee Iron and Metal yard, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

After the explosion, officials found 200 rounds of a military grade explosive that had been stored at the facility for about 15 years and were supposed to be inert.

The remaining rounds were removed from the plant.

Information from: KFSM-TV, www.kfsm.com