Man Seriously Hurt In Pullman Blast

A 38-year-old man was seriously injured Monday in Pullman when a chemical reaction caused an explosion, said Pullman Fire Department officials.

The man’s eyes, nose and mouth area were severely injured. He remained at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow, Idaho, late Monday. Fire officials did not identify him.

Construction workers were breaking up rocks on a hillside at 1005 N.W. Nye about 10:30 a.m. when a chemical used to split the rock reacted with ground water. It turned at least six drilled holes into geysers spraying debris about 100 feet high, officials said.

The injured man was standing near one of the holes when it exploded. A second man suffered minor injuries, officials said. , DataTimes