6NEWS

The fire broke out shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Two electrical workers are clinging to life after a ball of fire flew out of an electrical panel inside a south Charlotte factory Tuesday.

Both workers suffered severe burns in the blaze, which broke out at the Etimax Plastics plant off Arrowood Road.

The explosion happened in the blink of an eye.

“We had multiple people hurt, extra fire equipment and EMS were dispatched to the scene,” said Captain Rob Brisley, Charlotte Fire Department.

Two electrical workers were making repairs at the factory when a electrical panel erupted in a ball of flame.

Both subcontractors were badly burned suffering life-threatening injuries.

Employees at the plant pulled them to safety and then firefighters say workers started battling the blaze.

“Employees, using portable fire extinguishers correctly, kept this electrical fire to a small area, the plant itself did not suffer any damage,” said Brisley.

The plant belongs to Etimax, a German plastics company, and fire investigators say the quick work kept the electrical fire from becoming a chemical blaze.