Two OCI contractors hospitalized after Friday incident

WEVER – Two contractors at OCI Nitrogen in Wever were hospitalized Friday afternoon after suffering injuries as a result of burns.
According to a company spokesperson, the two individuals were conducting regular maintenance operations and were gassed, causing severe burns. LeeComm dispatchers said the burns were ammonia-related. One of the employees was airlifted to an Iowa City hospital, while the other is being treated at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center.
The facility released a statement Friday evening.
“In the late afternoon of Friday, September 15, two contractors working at OCI Nitrogen Iowa (formerly Iowa Fertilizer Company) were injured while conducting scheduled maintenance at our plant in Wever. The contractors were taken to Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center for treatment and one was subsequently airlifted to Iowa City. The entire OCI team will work with the contractors and their families to ensure they have the support and resources necessary to make a full recovery. Additionally, we will carefully review the circumstances around this incident. The safety of our employees and contractors, along with the southeast Iowa community is, and always will be, the top priority for the company. Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to contact us at 515-422-9296.”
LeeComm dispatched Wever Fire & Rescue and Lee County EMS to the work site.