Statement on Ayer Fatal Explosion

AYER – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey, Ayer Chief of Police William Murray and Ayer Fire Chief Robert Pedrazzi have confirmed that a man has died following an explosion in Ayer. At approximately 5:15 p.m. yesterday Ayer Fire and Police responded to a report of an explosion at Advanced Vacuum Systems on Fitchburg Road. Two employees were subsequently transported to area hospitals where one, a male in his 50’s was later pronounced dead. The preliminary investigation suggests that the explosion was the result of an apparent pressure vessel malfunction. Two mutual aid firefighters sustained minor injuries.

This is an open investigation being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Ayer Police Department, the Ayer Fire Department, the Boiler and Pressure Unit of the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). As this death is not considered suspicious no additional information will be released by this office.