Grand Island man named as person who died in ethanol plant explosion
Investigators have identified the man killed in an accidental explosion at an ethanol plant in Wood River last week.
By News Channel NebraskaWOOD RIVER, Neb. — Investigators have identified the man killed in an accidental explosion at an ethanol plant in Wood River last week.
The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Agency says 49-year-old Jody Norgaard died in the explosion that involved a liquid holding tank. An obituary says Norgaard was an operations manager at the Green Plains plant.
The agency says it doesn’t have an update on the other employee who was injured. On Tuesday, investigators said that person was in critical condition at an Omaha hospital.
The incident was reported at 2:39 p.m. on April 17. Responding firefighters found that a liquid holding tank had been involved in the explosion but there was no fire present.
In addition to Norgaard and the other employee, three contractors were injured. They were taken to a local hospital, treated for minor injuries and released.
The fire marshal says the explosion was accidental and a result of work being conducted on the liquid holding tank. It is not related to the fire that happened on Friday at the facility.