ADV-NEWS, Furnace explosion injures 1 at Borg-Warner in Lansing, NY. Instead of dialing 911, Borg-Warner called Bangs Ambulance directly.

Furnace explosion injures 1 at Borg-Warner in Lansing
By Raymond Drumsta
Journal Staff

Details surrounding an explosion and injury this week at Borg-Warner Automotive
remain sketchy, with company officials withholding some details and emergency
officials reviewing the incident.

Kyle Wilson, a Borg-Warner employee, was airlifted to Upstate Medical Center in
Syracuse after being burned in a furnace malfunction Wednesday night, said a
source close to the incident. Wilson is in his mid-20s, the source added.

The hospital listed Wilson in serious condition Friday morning. Cal Organ,
vice-president of human resources at Borg-Warner, said the explosion occurred in
a furnace at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

At about 11:50 p.m. Wednesday, Bangs Ambulance was dispatched to Borg-Warner for
a patient with possible burns, said Carol Bruce, director of operations for
Bangs Ambulance.
An investigation determined a furnace operator was starting the furnace from a
cold state after maintenance had been done on it, Organ said. He was trying to
light the furnace pilots when the explosion occurred, he said.

Organ would not say if Wilson was the operator, or if he even worked at
Borg-Warner.

Instead of dialing 911, Borg-Warner called Bangs Ambulance directly, according
to Lin Hurd, communication center manager for the Tompkins County Department of
Emergency Response. Bangs Ambulance then notified the Tompkins County 911 center
by radio, she added.

If Borg-Warner had dialed 911, the 911 center would have dispatched the Lansing
Fire Department and Bangs Ambulance immediately, Hurd said.

The Lansing Fire Department was dispatched at 12:03 a.m., said Lansing Fire
Chief Scott Purcell.

Firefighters tried to set up a landing zone at the airport, Purcell said, but
weather prevented the helicopter from flying, so the ambulance went to a landing
zone in Dryden.

“I don't think there's anything wrong with that,” Organ said of the call to
Bangs Ambulance instead of 911.

Hurd said they plan to review a recording of the incident.