Burned Worker Dies After Combustible Dust Fire

GALLATIN, Tenn. (AP) — An employee injured in a fire at a Gallatin chemical plant last week has died. Eric Hulsey is the third employee killed in accidents at the Hoeganaes (HAY'-gan-eez) Corp. plant this year.

A spokeswoman for Vanderbilt University Medical Center told The Tennessean that Hulsey died on Tuesday evening.

He and four other workers were injured in a Friday fire. Two are in critical condition and two were treated and released.

Gallatin Assistant Fire Chief Tommy Dale has said the fire was caused by a gas leak. Both the Tennessee Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board are investigating.

The plant employs about 175 people making metal powders. A January accident killed two and a March accident injured one. Both were caused when flammable metal dust combusted.