Overview

An aluminum dust explosion and fire on October 29, 2003 at the Hayes Lemmerz International-Huntington, Inc. (Hayes) facility, Huntington, Indiana killed one employee and burned two other employees, one critically. Three other Hayes employees and one contractor received minor injuries. The facility manufactures cast aluminum alloy wheels. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) determined that the dust that exploded originated in a scrap re-melting system. The explosion completely destroyed the dust collection equipment outside the building and damaged equipment inside the building. The explosion also lifted a portion of the building roof above one furnace and ignited a fire that burned for several hours.