An industrial accident has taken one person's life in Elk County. The explosion took place in a manufacturing facility in St. Marys, Pennsylvania at around 9 a.m. Thursday morning.

Pennsylvania State Police report that the accident happened at the Mersen USA plant. Mersen USA specializes in anticorrosion and process equipment, as well as developing electrical solutions for motors and generators. The plant is located on Trout Run Road, just west of St. Marys proper. 

The general manager of the facility told reporters that one person has died and two others are injured following an "equipment-related accident." One of the two people injured has been hospitalized with what officials are calling "serious injuries" and the other is expected to recover and be released soon.    

Mersen's general manager also said that the manufacturing company will be cooperating with all relevant officials and are immediately focused on the person who was killed in the accident and his family, as well as the people who were injured and their families. In addition, the general manager has stated that the company will be offering support to the coworkers of those involved in the accident. Police have made no official comment on the situation and do not plan on doing so until the full details of the accident have been found.

As of now, there is no word on how the explosion occurred or where it originated, but employees of Mersen who worked closely with the victims are currently being interviewed by federal investigators. OSHA has not made an official statement either, but more details should be available within the next couple of days.

Source: WJAC, "One dead in explosion at St. Marys business" 30 January 2014