Ferrellgas Partners Confirms Incident at Blue Rhino Tank Plant

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.

, one of the nation's largest propane distributors, today confirmed that an incident occurred on the evening on Monday, July 29, at the company's Blue Rhino propane tank production facility in Tavares, Florida. The cause of the incident, which resulted in an explosion, is under investigation. The company reported that all 24 employees onsite at the facility during the time of the incident have been fully accounted for by Lake County officials. Six employees were injured and were quickly transported to local hospitals for treatment and evaluation. One employee has since been discharged. "Our thoughts and prayers are with our employees and the families affected by this incident," said Steve Wambold, president and CEO of Ferrellgas Partners. "We would also like to applaud the excellent work of local emergency personnel – their quick response, ability to accurately account for all employees and seeing to their immediate medical needs certainly helped to comfort everyone involved." Upon learning of the incident, the company immediately put into effect its standing contingency plans, designed to prevent business interruptions. The company does not expect this incident to affect customers or any other aspects of its business. The cause of this incident is still under investigation and the company has pledged its cooperation to Lake County officials. Wambold concluded, "Safety has always been an integral part of our culture and we maintain strict standards at each of our facilities. This commitment ensures a safe working environment for our employees, their families and the surrounding communities."