The Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined Verso Paper Corp. for the explosion and fire that killed one employee and injured four others at its Sartell paper plant in May.
A state fire marshal's investigation found an overheated compressor led to the explosion and fire that killed Jon Maus. Plant employees, doing routine maintenance, shut down a well that provided water to cool the plant's compressors on the day of the accident. OSHA issued two safety citations against Verso and issued a fine of $39,200.
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry spokesman James Honerman told the St. Cloud Times the company paid the fine without contesting it.
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