The investigation into the explosion, which occurred at about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, was continuing Wednesday.
Sequoyah County fire departments called to assist at the explosion and the fires which followed were released after about an hour and a half, Fire Chief Dana Tracy of Rural Fire Protection District No. 1 reported.
The Tulsa World and Muskogee Phoenix were reporting Wednesday morning that two plant employees were still unaccounted for and about 14 persons were treated at Muskogee and Tahlequah hospitals for injuries sustained by debris from the explosion.
A employee of Your TIMES who lives in Muskogee, Deborah Bussey, display advertising representative, said she thought an earthquake had hit Muskogee. "We drove by the area on the way to work Wednesday," Bussey said, "and it looked like all the windows in nearby homes and businesses were all blown out."
Darrin Smith, Muskogee County chief deputy, said it was believed a boiler or furnace exploded. Yaffe Iron & Metal Co. is considered the largest recycler of metals in the country, with its main office located in Muskogee.
Marion Fair, Sequoyah County Emergency Management director, said he checked with Sequoyah 911 between 10 and 10:30 p.m. and calltakers reported they had received at least 50 calls from county residents about the explosion. "It was reported to have been heard by residents of the Brushy and State Highway 101 areas," Fair said.
Dispatchers at the Sallisaw Police Department also reported calls about the explosion.
Erin Faulkenberry, dispatcher, said she got off work at 2 p.m. Tuesday, but the explosion later in the day shook her home. "We live in a doublewide mobile home at Wild Horse Mountain Estates," Faulkenberry said. "It shook the house hard. It sounded like thunder."
Fire Chief Tracy reported the call for assistance from neighboring fire departments went out at about 8:25 p.m.
"Muskogee called for help from all available fire departments," Tracy reported. He said firefighters from his department and the fire departments at Webbers Falls, West Tenkiller, Blackgum and Gore went to the scene to help.
They remained at the scene for about one and a half hours, Tracy said, and were then released to return home.
Muskogee emergency response, Tracy said, "was very, very well organized. They had an incident command post and a medical triage area. It was something to see."
Tracy said it was his understanding that falling debris from the explosion injured several persons near the plant and started fires in other areas, but Muskogee emergency workers were able to handle the situation.
"They got a tremendous response when they called for help" from neighboring fire departments and emergency organizations, Tracy said.
"It was very difficult circumstances, but they took care of people. They were very, very good," Tracy emphasized about the Muskogee emergency response.
Tracy added that the explosion was also felt in Gore and the surrounding area.
