A problem starting a Yale forklift triggered a fire and led to explosion of the unit's propane tank at Camardese Plastics Corp near Clarksville on the evening of 4 January.

Damage to the 7,000 sqft (630 sqm) building and vacuum forming, injection moulding and other equipment may total "several hundred thousands" of dollars, according to Jerry Dorney, chief deputy sheriff in Johnson County.

An operator was attempting to start the forklift and suffered first and second degree burns as a result of the conflagration, says Jackson Young, an owner of the company. "He is improving", but the unidentified worker remained under care in the Johnson Regional Medical Center as of 11 January.

The destroyed forklift was five years old, Young notes. Another battery-powered forklift was not in use at the time of the incident.

Other workers used fire extinguishers quickly, but the flames spread and the explosion occurred. Fire fighters from several departments needed more than five hours to bring the blaze under control and remained onsite through most of 5 January.