Explosion, fire at pharmaceutical plant injures three employees

Saturday, September 18th 2004, 10:48 am

By: News On 6

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. (AP) _ An explosion and fire at an Abbott Laboratories manufacturing site early Saturday sent three employees to the hospital, company and fire officials said.

The explosion happened around 2:15 a.m. in a processing area at the facility in suburban North Chicago, according to the North Chicago Fire Department.

Officials were investigating the blaze, which was extinguished by midmorning and did not spread beyond the processing area.

Fire officials would not comment on a possible cause.

Three employees were taken to hospitals and two were released, said Abbott spokesman Chris Bona. The third employee, a security guard, suffered burns and was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center.

The Abbott Park-based company makes medical products and pharmaceuticals, including the AIDS drug Norvir.