Byron plant employee in critical condition at Augusta hospital

An employee of a Byron plant injured in a flash fire was listed in critical condition Thursday at an Augusta hospital, a hospital spokesman said.

Johnny Barrett, 49, was hospitalized at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center after he was burned in the Tuesday afternoon incident at Pyrotechnic Specialities Inc. at 1661 Juniper Creek Road.

He initially was thought to have minor injuries with first-degree burns, according to Jeff Doles, director of the Peach County Emergency Management Agency.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an inspection following the flash fire at Pyrotechnic Specialties, said Leni Uddyback-Fortson, an OSHA spokeswoman. The plant manufactures munitions for the government and law enforcement.

"The employees were packaging some raw materials for disposal and some kind of spark or something, it caused a little flash fire," Doles said. "It was raw material. I think it was some type of nitrate."

Efforts to reach David J. Karlson, the company's CEO, were unsuccessful.

To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559, or find her on Twitter@becpurser.

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 7:13 PM with the headline "Byron plant employee in critical condition at Augusta hospital ."