Six Dam Workers Wounded in Explosion in Grant County, Wash.

Oct. 09--Six public utility workers have been taken to nearby hospitals after an explosion at the Priest Rapids Dam Thursday afternoon. Their conditions are unknown, said Tom Stredwick, a spokesman for the Grant County Public Utility District.

The hydroelectrical dam is stable and was not damaged enought to cause a water burst, according to Kyle Foreman of the Grant County Sheriff's Office. The accident may have been caused by an electrical malfunction, he said.

At 4:30 p.m. authorities received reports of the explosion, Foreman said. Stredwick said the size of the explosion and its damage is unknown.

The victims' families have been notified of their conditions, which range in severity, Stredwick said.

The dam is on the Columbia River, about 24 miles south of Vantage.

Multiple agencies have responded to the incident including the Hanford Fire Department.

This post will be updated.

Jessica Lee: 206-464-2532 or jlee@seattletimes.com

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