Employees at Redwall Screen Printing in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, evacuated after an explosion occurred inside the business on Thursday morning, according to WFRV Local 5. The Oak Creek Fire Department reported that crews responded at 9:35 a.m. to the printing business. The available report does not state what caused the explosion or whether anyone was injured. Authorities' response and any follow-up investigation will determine what occurred inside the building and whether additional information becomes available. What Makes This Incident Different An explosion inside an occupied workplace can create urgent concerns even when employees are able to evacuate. In this reported event, the explosion happened within a printing business, and workers left the building after it occurred. That combination makes the sequence of events before, during, and after the evacuation important. At this stage, the public report confirms the location, the evacuation, and the fire department response. It does not identify an origin for the explosion, describe the conditions inside the business, or provide information about injuries. Those distinctions matter. A careful review should remain tied to evidence rather than assumptions about how the incident happened. Questions Investigators May Examine Investigators may examine questions such as: - Where inside the building did the explosion occur? - What information was available to employees when they evacuated? - How was the evacuation carried out after the explosion? - What did employees and responding crews observe when they arrived or left the building? - What records or physical evidence may help establish the sequence of events? The evidence will determine the answers. An investigation may also clarify whether there were conditions that required further examination, but no cause should be presumed from the limited public report. Evidence That May Need to Be Preserved For an explosion at a workplace, prompt preservation can be important because a scene may change during emergency response, cleanup, repairs, or the return to normal operations. Depending on the circumstances, potentially useful materials may include: - Fire department dispatch, response, and incident records - Photographs, video, or scene documentation created after the explosion - Surveillance footage from inside or around the business, if available - Statements or contemporaneous notes from employees and other witnesses - Building entry, alarm, or evacuation-related records, if any exist - Internal incident reports, communications, and safety documentation that may exist - Documents showing when the business was closed, inspected, repaired, or reopened, if applicable Families and workers should not try to obtain evidence in a way that interferes with emergency officials or any active investigation. A written request to preserve relevant materials can sometimes help prevent routine deletion or loss of records. What Families Should Know When a worker or visitor is seriously hurt in a Wisconsin workplace incident, several types of claims may need to be evaluated separately. Workers' compensation may be relevant for an employee, while a claim involving a party other than the employer may be possible in certain circumstances. The facts, the working relationship, available insurance, and the evidence will affect what options may exist. If a loved one has been injured, it can be helpful to keep medical records, bills, photographs, work-related communications, and notes of conversations connected to the event. Families may also want to avoid signing insurance or settlement paperwork before they understand what rights could be affected. Wisconsin law includes filing deadlines, and the correct deadline can depend on the type of claim and the facts involved. Speaking with a lawyer promptly can help a family identify preservation needs and avoid losing time while facts are still being examined. How Dunk Law Can Help Dunk Law can evaluate a serious workplace explosion claim arising in Wisconsin, help request preservation of relevant evidence, and review the insurance and legal issues that may follow a reported evacuation and fire department response. Our team can listen to the facts, explain the potential paths for an injured worker or family, and pursue the information needed to assess the case. Related Dunk Law Resources - All practice areas This post is based on publicly available news reports and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice.