Nobody injured as explosion, fire damage Iatan power plant

An explosion at the Iatan Power Plant near Weston started a fire that forced employees to evacuate, but nobody was injured.

The blast came just after 9:30 a.m., said Kansas City Power & Light spokeswoman Katie McDonald.

The plant continued to operate during the fire and did not come off-line, she said.

Crews from around the area responded to the plant at 20520 N. Missouri 45, but fire authorities began to describe the blaze as largely contained about 10:30 a.m., and many units were ordered back to their stations.

The fire began in an area of the plant that contains a coal-crushing device, McDonald said, adding that the blaze was “very small and quickly contained.” What caused the explosion wasn’t yet known, she added, but an investigation is expected.