Cass County, Michigan – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has provided the latest details regarding the fatal explosion that occurred at a petroleum pumping station in Cass County on Monday, February 5th. According to Sheriff Richard Behnke, the explosion at the Trak Oil Company-owned station in Calvin Township caused the death of one worker, identified as 71-year-old Charles Lawrence from Lakefort, MI. Another worker, a 38-year-old from Osceola, sustained minor injuries in the incident.
Deputies from the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to initial reports of a loud explosion and subsequent shaking of nearby homes on Bulhand Rd. at approximately 3:50 pm. The incident at the petroleum pumping station also resulted in a fire, which is believed to have been caused by the explosion that occurred while the two men were working on a tank.
The Michigan State Police Fire Marshal and the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will be leading the investigation into the explosion. In addition, several emergency response teams, including the Cass Area Fire Department, Elkhart Fire Department, SEPSA Ambulance, and SMACS Ambulance, were involved in the response to the incident.
As of the latest update on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024 at 12:30 PM, no new information on the cause of the explosion has been released. The Michigan State Police Fire Marshal and the Michigan Department of Environmental, Great Lakes and Energy are continuing their efforts to gather information and evidence regarding the incident. Once the investigation is complete, the affected area will undergo a thorough cleaning process. The circumstances surrounding the deadly explosion remain under investigation.