▁were ▁destroyed ▁by ▁a ▁second ▁fire . ▁The ▁remains ▁of ▁the ▁business ▁were ▁sold , ▁but ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁family ' s ▁young est ▁sons ▁r ented ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁complex ▁back ▁and ▁began ▁a ▁manufact uring ▁business , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁the ▁current ▁comp ound ▁had ▁been ▁constructed . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁the ▁Men om one e ▁River ▁overflow ed ▁its ▁banks , ▁filling ▁the ▁plant ▁with ▁at ▁least ▁ ▁of ▁mud dy ▁water . ▁C lean up ▁operations ▁took ▁several ▁weeks . ▁During ▁another ▁flo od ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁waters ▁rose ▁so ▁fast ▁that ▁ 7 5 ▁workers ▁were ▁str and ed ▁and ▁required ▁rescue . ▁Rec overy ▁operations ▁took ▁several ▁weeks . ▁The ▁Occ up ational ▁Saf ety ▁and ▁Health ▁Administration ▁investig ated ▁four ▁compla ints ▁in ▁the ▁ten ▁years ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁explos ion , ▁but ▁none ▁involved ▁the ▁prop ane ▁systems . ▁ ▁Ex pl os ion ▁and ▁emer gency ▁response ▁Before ▁the ▁explos ion , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁workers ▁had ▁ev acu ated ▁the ▁building . ▁Police ▁Chief ▁N ann ette ▁H eg ert y ▁stated ▁that ▁an ▁ev acu ation ▁had ▁begun ▁ 1 0 ▁to ▁ 1 4   min utes ▁before ▁the ▁explos ion . ▁According ▁to ▁reports ▁by ▁the ▁Mil w au kee ▁Journal ▁S entin el , ▁a ▁F alk ▁sp okes w oman ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁ev acu ation ▁was ▁limited ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁near ▁a ▁prop ane ▁leak . ▁The