Vitro releases statement on glass leak

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - Following Sunday afternoon’s reported glass leak at the Vitro Architectural Glass, plant officials have released the following statement:

“A glass leak occurred at the Wichita Falls plant of Vitro Flat Glass, LLC. The furnace of line number two developed a leak allowing hot, molten glass to escape from the vessel. The Wichita Falls Fire Department was called to the plant to help seal the leak. Six glass plant employees were taken to United Regional Hospital for treatment of heat stress. Five were released the same day and one was held overnight for observation. Glass production slowed on line two but was not stopped during the leak or repair. Glass supply is not expected to be impacted by the incident. Plant and engineering specialists will be working to determine the root cause of the glass leak and identify any required long-term repairs.”

The Wichita County Sheriff’s Office initially reported this incident as an explosion, but that information has since been corrected. Vitro officials say the incident did not involve the leakage of natural gas, but of molten glass from a vessel used in the glassmaking process.