Shelby County and Arlington fire departments responded to an industrial explosion at Plasma Coatings in Arlington around 8 a.m. Nov. 29 and quickly extinguished the resulting fire. A gas oven processing a piece of equipment failed to vent fumes properly, and an explosion blew out doors and rocketed a large steel roller through a wall and about 70-80 feet from the building. An estimated 28 of the company’s approximately 40 employees were present, but they fled to safety just minutes before the explosion. The business is at 11415 Gulf Stream Road and is a custom manufacturer of coating products and specialty coating systems.
