1 injured in explosion at St. Augustine recycling facility, St. Johns County Fire Rescue says

Near and far, St. Augustine residents were quite literally shaken on Tuesday when they heard and felt a mysterious loud boom.

Fire officials confirmed there was an explosion at Leth Metal Recycling at 11:20 a.m.

Neighbors said the boom was so strong it shook their home and knocked belongings off their shelves.

“Something blew up. I’m not sure what it was but it was real bad because there was a lot of smoke. It was just real loud,” neighbor Marie Taylor said.

Taylor was outside when she said a big boom shook her and her house.

“I had stuff on my window sill and it made it fall, and my ears are still ringing,” Taylor said.

Taylor lives right across from Leth Metal Recycling.

St. Johns County Fire Rescue officials said one person was injured in an explosion at the recycling plant Tuesday morning. Officials said it came from what was described as an air tank.

“Fire department, ambulance, two cops,” Taylor said.

Officials said the person was taken to a local hospital with injuries but is in stable condition.

“Even people across town heard it because I’ve talked to people,” Taylor said.

Just over a half mile down the road, employees at Stone Climbing said they too heard and felt the boom. They said its magnitude brought them outside looking for the source.

“We walked outside and everyone else had kind of walked outside and was looking around.” Stone Climbing owner Eric Hires said. “Because we felt it, you know like felt it in your heart, I thought it was pretty close.”

Fire officials cannot confirm any more details about the person who was injured.

Action News Jax reached out to Leth Metal Recycling about the incident. All employees would say is everything is OK now.

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