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Specialty Gas Facility Explosion Leaves Two In Hospital

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Two workers are being treated for minor injuries after explosions and a fire at an industrial site in Putnam County, West Virginia.

Jason Owens of Putnam County's emergency management center says fire crews were dispatched at about 3:20 p.m. Monday to Airgas, a distributor of specialty gases.

He described the injuries to the two as minor and said they were transported to Cabell Huntington Hospital for treatment. A hospital official did not know their conditions.

Chad Jones of the Bancroft Fire Department said at least 50 of 100 bottles of acetylene that were being held in bunker in the plant exploded. The cause was not yet known.

Officials with Airgas could not immediately be reached. The company calls itself the largest supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases in the U.S.