Yenkin Majestic Paint Corporation entered a guilty plea in federal court this week to a charge of negligent endangerment following a deadly 2021 industrial explosion at its Columbus facility, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
The criminal charge stems from an April 8, 2021, blast at the company’s coatings and resin manufacturing plant. The incident killed one worker, severely injured several others, and caused extensive damage to the facility and nearby buildings.
According to court filings, the company used large steel vessels called kettles to heat raw materials during resin production. In December 2020, Yenkin worked with a local fabricator to build and install a new access door, known as a manway, on top of a unit designated as Kettle 3…