Textron worker recalls explosion that hospitalized co-workers

Robert Baker had worked in the Wichita Textron Aviation plant only about a month before an explosion ripped through it Friday, sending 14 of his co-workers to the hospital.

Baker, who transferred from Tulsa to Wichita, said he was on the opposite side of the Plant 3 when the nitrogen gas explosion happened at around 8:05 a.m. on Friday. Debris flew hundreds of yards and white smoke rolled down surrounding neighborhoods. Inside, Baker said the walls in the massive plant flexed like a pulse and coworkers told him they saw a flash.

“All I saw was the pressure wave ... I saw the walls flexing,” the 36-year-old said. “There was dust and debris, even from the other side. Dirt in the air permeating through the walls coming down the hallways and stuff like that. You can tell something happened — it was either a bomb went off outside or inside.”

“I was pretty shaken. I’m not going to lie. That was the most scared I’ve ever been in my whole life, and I’m not easily rattled. But when the walls start flexing and it sounds like the roof is about to cave in, I get pretty panicked and scared.”

Baker, a graphite assembler, said he picked up his belongings and made his way to the exit. He said he heard that a coworker helped pull injured people away from harm, but he didn’t know firsthand.

It wasn’t “mass hysteria,” he said, “but there was panic for sure.”

Baker figured there were fewer than 200 people in the building at the time. Workers were transported away from the building while officials took a headcount of personnel.

Wesley Medical Center and Ascension Via Christi staff said they received 14 patients from the explosion. Six were treated and released or expected to be released. One was in critical condition.

“I hope everyone is OK and I hope everyone gets to go home,” Baker said.

This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 2:06 PM.