Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 14454110 - Employee dies in explosion fire caused by acetylene torch

Accident Summary Nr: 14454110 -- Report ID: 0751910 -- Event Date: 04/28/1988
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
104221049	07/19/1988	5191	0	Crop Production Services

Abstract: Employee #1 was cutting one of two 1/2 in. rods that were bolted to a flatbed truck, and securing a 30 gallon drum. The drum was marked as pesticide, but had been used to carry diesel fuel to refuel a John Deere highboy sprayer. The rod was approximately 1 in. from the side of the drum. The cut was not quite halfway through the rod, indicated by burn marks on the outside and inside of drum, when the acetylene cutting torch caused sufficient heat to expand the fumes. Pressure inside the drum caused the bottom seam to rupture. Residual fuel sprayed Employee #1 and the torch. Diesel fuel and fire engulfed Employee #1. Fellow employees who were nearby immediately tried to extinguish the fire. Employee #1 was killed.

Keywords: BURN, ACETYLENE TORCH, DIESEL FUEL TANK, DRUM, FIRE, RUPTURE, EXPLOSION, CUTTING AND BURNING

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	104221049			Fatality	Burn(Chemical)	Laborers, except construction

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