Abstract: On June 22, 1989, Employee #1 and #2 were heating a half-full 55-gallon drum of asphalt to add it to a holding tank for dipping fishnets. Employee #2 could not get the bung loose from the drum, so he placed the flame from the propane-heated wand on top of the drum. Employee #1 noticed what the other employee was doing from a distance and ran over to stop him. The drum blew up just before Employee #1 got there. Both employees were covered with burning asphalt. Employee #1 died from the burns. Employee #2 was hospitalized with burn injuries. The two employees were self-employed commercial fishermen. Employee #1 was owner of the facility where the two were working and had no employees.