Rep. Robinson Responds to Metal Factory Explosion in Oakwood Village

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Phil Robinson (D-Solon) released the following statement today in response to a recent explosion at I. Schumann & Co., a metal manufacturing foundry in Oakwood Village on February 20th:

“While driving in my district, I was shocked and saddened last Monday when I learned of an explosion at the Schumann foundry,” said Rep. Robinson. “I will continue to keep the family who lost a loved one in this tragic accident in my thoughts. Additionally, I wish a speedy and full recovery to those injured in the explosion. Thank you to the courageous first responders whom I saw race to the location to bravely take care of the men and women who needed assistance.”

Rep. Robinson has been in contact with Mayor Gottschalk and village council members; and his office has reached out to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), State Fire Marshal, Cuyahoga County Public Safety and Justice Services, other county officials, and I. Schumann & Co. to ensure these types of accidents are prevented from happening again. 

“My office is gathering all the necessary facts and seeking answers about the explosion that will allow us to create solutions aimed at keeping factory workers and community members safe. We must work together to prevent similar events from happening again. Manufacturing jobs are critical to our economy and we must ensure the safety of each and every worker,” added Rep. Robinson.

The Ohio EPA and State Fire Marshals have been on the scene of the explosion since last Monday, working with several fire departments and other first responders, with the Oakwood Village Fire Department taking the lead as the incident command of the immediate fire rescue. Unfortunately, there are reports of at least one death and 13 injured from the incident. The national Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is also investigating the incident.

Rep. Robinson’s office was informed by the Ohio EPA that their Office of Emergency Response (OER) staff was on scene to investigate the environmental impact, implement containment measures to minimize impact to the environment, and coordinate cleanup actions with the responsible party.

OER staff completed a downstream survey and found no apparent impacts or materials and observed no impacts to wildlife. Sorbent booms, used to filter the water, were installed downstream as a precaution. The OER staff returned to the scene yesterday to re-check for any stream impacts and assess whether further actions are needed from the Ohio EPA, and will be providing additional updates to Rep. Robinson.

The State Fire Marshal takes the lead and has oversight over the cause of the fire and explosion and related investigations by appropriate coordinating agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), and the Hillcrest-Heights Regional Investigation Unit. Investigations are ongoing, but Rep. Robinson’s office will provide more information as it is available.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to my office at Rep19@Ohiohouse.gov or by phone at (614) 644-6041.