Investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office, Ministry of Labour and Brantford Fire Department are trying to determine the cause of a Thursday explosion that sent one person to hospital.  The explosion occurred at the Sherwin-Williams paint factory at 140 Garden Ave. at about 6:30 p.m.

The injured worker, a woman, was cleaning a vat when the explosion occurred, said Janet Deline of the Ministry of Labour.  The worker was taken to a Hamilton hospital for treatment. The spokesperson for the company said she’s OK.  No other injuries were reported.

“The incident remains under investigation,” Mike Conway, director, corporate communications for Sherwin-Williams, said in a statement sent to The Expositor. “Sherwin-Williams is working closely with Brantford officials to determine the cause.  “There is no impact to air or water supplies.”

Brantford firefighters were called to the plant, located in an industrial area, just after 6:30 p.m.  Firefighters confirmed an explosion had taken place and a fire had been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. Firefighters remained on the scene overnight and were still there Friday morning.  The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office was called immediately and investigators started work on Thursday and were continuing their investigation on Friday.

The blast caused a wall relief panel on the side of the building to pop open, fire prevention officer Scott Hardwick said Friday.  Walls in buildings like the paint factory are designed to pop out to relieve built-up pressure and prevent entire buildings from exploding, he added.

There are a lot highly inflammable materials in the plant, including solvents and paints.

The fire marshal’s office is called in to investigate incidents involving an explosion, Hardwick said.

Firefighters were called to the plant on Dec. 18, 2014 following an explosion and small fire. One male worker sustained minor bruises to his shoulder after being pushed into a wall during the explosion.

The worker didn’t require medical attention.