A woman was killed Thursday morning after a pressurized boiler exploded at Meggitt Polymers & Composites in Rockmart.
Polk County Fire Chief Todd Queen said crews were dispatched to the plant around 8:15 a.m. He described the explosion as a “steam-related” event that occurred in an “isolated part of the plant.”
Trey Litesey, Polk County’s coroner, said Elaine Davidson, 56, of Rockmart, died from injuries sustained in the blast. No one else was injured.
According to a statement released by Meggitt spokesperson Fiona Greig: “The incident involved a release of pressure from a 36-inch diameter autoclave (sterilization device) in a quality assurance laboratory. No other employee has sustained injury as a result of this incident.
“The area and the autoclave involved in the incident has been shut down and secured and Meggitt is now conducting a thorough investigation.”
The company said it had notified OSHA of the incident and it is conducting its own investigation.
An emergency medical team treated Davidson while she was transported to Polk Medical Center, Queen said.
Queen said the plant was operational within an hour of the fire crews’ arrival.
Polk County is located in west Georgia near the Alabama border.
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