Several injured in Ala. factory roof collapse
LEEDS, Ala. (AP) - May 15, 2008 Ambulances took the injured workers to hospitals after the
collapse at M&B Hangers shortly after 9 a.m. in Leeds, near
Birmingham. About 40 people were inside the plant, but none of the
injuries appeared to be life-threatening, President and CEO Milton
Magnus said.
"It started falling in sections. People were there on forklifts
and they were able to get away when they saw it," Magnus said.
He said one contract employee had a broken arm, another a broken
leg, and four or five others were taken to the hospital for
treatment of cuts and bruises.
Plant officials said contractors had been working on beams
inside the building after a forklift hit a column about two weeks
ago, but it wasn't clear why the roof collapsed.
Magnus said nothing happened immediately before the roof fell,
and it was possible the weight of heavy rain Thursday morning
stressed the roof.
"It could have been a lot worse. We were very blesssed. God
looked out for us," Magnus said.
About one-third of the roofing over the 100,000-square-foot
building fell into an area that has picnic tables and is used as a
break area and for storage.
Cleanup efforts were hampered by rain as a storm front moved
through the state. Magnus said he hopes the plant can resume
operations next week.
M&B, with about 100 employees, is one of the nation's largest
makers of clothes hangers, and it's one of only a handful of hanger
companies remaining in the United States.