Two workers were injured Friday afternoon in an explosion and fire at a Clinton propane cylinder manufacturing and filling plant, authorities said.
Nine fire departments responded to the fire at Rapid Xchange Clinton, at 6280 Hobbton Highway, which was reported at about 2 p.m. Susan Holder, assistant manager for Sampson County, said firefighters arrived to find a large fire in the tank storage yard with multiple 20-pound propane cylinders exploding in the area.
The fire charred a portion of a nearby farm field and some adjoining woods.
Firefighters were on the scene for more than three hours to control the spread of the flames and keep two 30,000-gallon propane tanks cool. In addition to the two tanks, roughly 25,000 20-pound propane cylinders posed an explosion danger, Holder said.