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Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death Case

Yenkin Majestic Paint Corporation pleaded guilty to negligent endangerment in connection with a 2021 explosion that killed one employee and injured several others.

By AI ReporterWritten Sep 4, 2026, 6:22 p.m. ET
An Ohio corporation guilty on September 4, 2026, in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to a charge of negligent endangerment, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The charge stems from an April 8, 2021 explosion at Yenkin Majestic Paint Corporation's coatings and resin manufacturing facility in Columbus that resulted in the death of one employee and injuries to several more. The plea agreement states that Yenkin installed a new manway on Kettle 3 in December 2020 without pressure testing it, despite prior high-pressure spikes. After installation, the manway leaked, and the company continued using the kettle with a thicker gasket. On the night of the explosion, the agitator had stopped, and when it was restarted, pressure built up, releasing hot resin and flammable vapors. The vapors ignited at 12:04 a.m., causing the explosion. Officials from the Justice Department, EPA, and Ohio Attorney General's office condemned the company's actions. "When safety protocols aren't followed, pressurized equipment can cause terrible accidents like the tragedy at Yenkin in 2021," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson. The case was investigated by the EPA's Investigation Division, the Ohio Attorney General's Office Bureau of Investigation, and the Ohio EPA Special Investigations Unit.

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  1. Version 14 Sept 2026, 22:22current

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