WAIPAHU — The Redondo's Inc. sausage factory was evacuated yesterday after one person was injured in an apparent explosion about 10 a.m.

Honolulu Fire Department responded to the scene, at 94-140 Leokane St. in Waipahu's light industrial section, but no smoke or fire was visible an hour later.

An injured employee was struck in the head by a falling tray but was able to walk away. He was taken to the hospital, treated for a cut on his head and released, said Kendrick Ho, Redondo production manager.

Ho said the source of the explosion was a convection-like oven that cooks sausages and hot dogs. Redondo's has asked the manufacturer of the machine to send out a representative.

"We need to have someone from the Mainland to come in and figure out what happened to that oven," he said. "There's no one here on this island that repairs that kind oven."

Employee Larry Bagay was among the nearly four dozen employees sitting across from the plant awaiting further instructions after the evacuation yesterday.

"We heard a big bang in the smoke house," Bagay said, adding, "that's where we cook all our hot dogs.

"It was really loud."

Soon afterward, he said, their quality-control manager told them to leave the building until officials knew more about what had happened.

At 11:20, Ho told about 35 employees they could go to the locker area and pick up their belongings and go home. All will return to work this morning.

Sausage and hot dog production won't stop, he said, noting that the oven that malfunctioned is one of three.

Redondo's was started by Frank Redondo in 1949 and is now the largest sausage manufacturer in the state. Originally headquartered in Kapahulu, operations moved to Waipahu in 1973.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com and Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.