ORLANDO, Fla. — There is new fallout from this massive Orlando warehouse fire where two employees were severely burned in December 2024.
The company is being blamed for putting employees at risk, and federal investigators are proposing hefty fines.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says explosives weren’t stored properly at the missile-manufacturing warehouse on Municipal Drive. That’s why Aerojet Rocketdyne now faces six violations and $262,451 in proposed penalties.
Fire officials said the flames sparked from lithium powder that caught on fire. They had to use dry powder and a special procedure to put the fire out.
Besides the two who were hospitalized for burns and smoke inhalation, OSHA says several other employees were hurt from the fire itself and from smoke inhalation.
OSHA now says the company exposed employees to these hazards because explosives were incorrectly stored, handled and classified.
L3Harris, the parent company for Aerojet Rocketdyne, issued the following statement in response to the proposed fines:
“The safety of our employees and the community remains our top priority. We take this incident seriously and are thoroughly reviewing OSHA’s findings as we continue to strengthen our comprehensive safety practices. The Coleman Aerospace facility has been a part of the Orlando community for more than 30 years. Our 200 employees are dedicated to producing advanced missile targets and next-generation undersea propulsion technologies that support national security. Coleman maintains a comprehensive risk management framework and robust internal controls to mitigate risks and protect our workforce, the public, and the continuity of operations. We’ve taken decisive and meaningful steps to strengthen our already existing and robust protocols, to reinforce training, and to enhance other protective measures”
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