Janesville employee injured after silo explosion at rubber factory

June 4, 2021 1:34 p.m.

Job : June 4, 2021 1:34 p.m.

Update: June 4, 2021 6:38 p.m.

JANESVILLE, Wis. – Officials are investigating the cause of an explosion at a rubber plant in Janesville that left one person injured on Friday.

Dispatchers received a call around noon for a report of a silo that exploded and was on fire, according to a news release. Firefighters were dispatched to Humane Manufacturing, located at 1350 W. Venture Dr.

Officials arrived and said the tops of two silos had been torn off. There was also some light smoke coming from the silos and inside the manufacturing plant.

The first crew entered the main building and found no active fire. Crews remained at the scene for about three hours to extinguish the fire in the silos, which contained crushed rubber.

One employee was injured in the explosion and was taken to hospital.

Authorities are unable to provide a damage estimate at this time and the cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

The Janesville Fire Department received assistance from the City of Beloit, City of Beloit and Milton Fire Departments.