On June 29, 2017, an industrial accident occurred at the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach, Florida. During routine maintenance on Unit 2, a procedure involving the cleaning of a slag tank led to the release of molten slag.
The incident resulted in the deaths of five workers and injuries to another. The explosion was caused by a buildup of molten material while employees attempted to remove hardened slag from the tank. The power station, operated by Tampa Electric (TECO), underwent investigation and federal scrutiny following the event.
