A powerful explosion at a pellet mill in Strong has two men still counting their blessings three months later.

Jim Smith, 41, and Gregg Toothaker, 42, both of Wilton, say they are thankful to have survived the explosion that did an estimated $8 million damage to the manufacturing plant. The explosion was ruled an accident by state fire investigators.

The men, employees of Geneva Wood Fuels LLC at the time, were on the roof of the building where the explosion occurred early Aug. 8. Toothaker, a pelletizer maintenance operator, said he had just called in the work status on the radio when it happened.

“Kaboom,” said Smith, a former plant control room operator. “The whole building shook.”

“Jim was just in front of a small enclosure that covers the stairway, and I was just behind it,” Toothaker said. “A piece of the metal siding came off and flattened me. It laid me right on the roof.”

Smith grabbed his shoulder and told Toothaker which way to run.

“I’m not sure what would have happened if he wasn’t with me,” Toothaker said.

Smith was knocked to his knees. He saw Toothaker fly through the air and a 50-foot fireball shoot out, Smith said. The roof to the side of them blew 3 feet up off the iron rafters, he said.

“It looked like something you see in a cartoon,” he said. “It’s a memory that has stuck with me and I still see it a few times a week.”

He got up from his knees to escape, thinking Toothaker was behind him.

“But he’s not. He’s lying there. I ran over to Gregg to help him get up,” Smith said.

A thousand things were going through his mind, Smith said, including making sure both got to see their children again.

They ran across the roof to the other side of the building, nearest Norton Hill Road.

Smith guided Toothaker to the fire escape.

“Why that ladder stayed in place, I don’t know,” Smith said. “I know now, God has a plan for us.”

The windows and walls were blown out, and the siding came off, they said. They climbed down to the loading dock roof and then down one more ladder to the ground. The wood-framed windows were lying in the road, Toothaker said.

“We got off the roof and people from town started showing up in (night clothes) to see what happened,” Smith said.

Toothaker was bleeding from a cut 2 inches above his right temple, he said. Smith couldn’t hear for two weeks.

Two days later, they were interviewed by Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Two days after that, they were laid off.

Since the ordeal they have gotten closer.

“We’ve known each other for a while,” Toothaker said. “We played softball together … This has brought us a lot closer together. When something like that happens, it happens. It’s just one of those things. This is definitely one of those things you hope you never go through again. I’m very thankful to be alive. It gave me a new direction. I’ve wanted to go into business for 10 years and this gave me the incentive. Now my attitude is, what do I have to lose?”

Smith is getting by with a variety of jobs.

“God has a plan for both Gregg and I,” Smith said. “He’ll let us know what it is when He’s ready.” 

[email protected]

Gregg Toothaker, 42, left, and Jim Smith, 41, both of Wilton, say they are fortunate to have survived an August explosion at a Strong pellet-manufacturing plant.