Pensacola Fortis Institute chemical 'explosion' injures contractor; no students harmed

An "explosion" Friday at a Pensacola career training institute was caused by chemicals a contractor was using to resurface a floor, according to school officials.

At 1:37 p.m. on Friday, Escambia County Fire Rescue units responded to an explosion at the Fortis Institute in the 4000 block of Olive Road. Upon arrival, a commercial shopping center was seen with a "partial collapse" and a small fire located in front of one of the businesses. Multiple windows were shattered as a result of the incident.

ECFR was able to extinguish the fire by 1:48 p.m. and Escambia County EMS inspected four patients, but none required transportation to the hospital.

In a written statement, Fortis Institute in Pensacola Campus President Kathaleen Cole wrote Monday that no students or instructors were present during the incident.

"Last Friday, Fortis Institute in Pensacola hired an outside company to resurface the floors in its Cosmetology Lab," the statement said. "The mix of resurfacing chemicals reacted negatively and sparked a flash fire ... One contractor was injured during the initial flash fire. While we are not privy to the extent of his condition, we are told he will make a full recovery."

The statement said the damage was contained to the cosmetology lab and massage therapy classrooms.

"The campus is open and operational, and all classes resumed today," Cole said in her statement Monday. "We have begun the clean-up process to repair the damage in these classrooms, which will reopen within the coming months. Our Cosmetology and Massage Therapy students will continue to attend classes in the main facility until we reopen their labs."

The State Fire Marshal's Office conducted the investigation into the incident, but the agency did not respond to News Journal inquiries about the circumstances of the explosion Monday.

Fortis is a post-secondary network of colleges and institutes that provides career-based training, diploma and degree-granting programs at 29 campuses in 14 states, with an array of programs such as nursing, dental care, medical technology and beauty and wellness.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Fortis Institute reopens after Olive Road campus explosion