A man was severely burned Tuesday morning in an explosion at a Forsyth County brewery, officials said.
The man was touring the brewhouse at NoFo Brew Co. in Cumming when a still combusted just before 9 a.m. Representatives for the business said the man was a guest and was there to learn about its distilling process.
He was taken to the Grady Memorial Hospital burn unit with second-degree burns on about 50% of his body, Forsyth County Fire Department spokesman Division Chief Jason Shivers told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was listed in critical condition Tuesday afternoon.
Shivers said some of the equipment in the distillery exploded and caused a flash fire. While officials still aren’t sure what caused the explosion, Shivers said they believe it was from pressure.
“All of this happened in an instant. It was an explosion, a fire, and then that fire was burned out as quickly as it started,” Shivers said.
In a Facebook post, NoFo Brew Co. said three employees were present when the fire broke out but none were hurt.
The injured man, whose name was not released, was standing next to the equipment when it exploded, Shivers said. His clothes and body caught on fire, but an employee was able to put out the blaze with an extinguisher, according to Shivers.
When officials arrived, the fire was no longer active, Shivers said.
In addition to his burns, the victim may also have suffered a concussion as a result of his proximity to the explosion, he said.
The building, which did not catch on fire, suffered no structural damage, according to Shivers. He said only equipment was damaged, and the fire was “strong, but very brief.”
“Our team has been shaken by this incident and our hearts go out to our guest who was injured,” the brewery said.
NoFo Brew Co. reopened for normal business Wednesday, “based on the physical damage being contained to a relatively small area of the brewhouse and all areas being deemed safe.”
The explosion is still under investigation.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
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