Abstract: At 12:40 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2002, employees were starting to leave for the day, and they noticed smoke pouring out of the baghouse. This facility builds wooden doors. The sawdust generated is ventilated through the ventilation system out to three large bins at the baghouse, each capable of holding 120 yards of sawdust. The bins are approximately 50 to 60 feet long and 30 to 40 feet tall. They are elevated 30 feet above the ground so large truck trailers can drive under them and fill them up with sawdust. Smoke was coming from the top and sides of the western most bin. The top of the bin could be 50 to 60 feet from the ground. When Employee #1 and a coworker saw the smoke, they ran to the baghouse. The sawdust around an electric motor driving a mixing augur in the bin was on fire. The auger had broken in half causing undue stress and friction on the bearings and the drive belts, which caused them to start smoldering and drop to the ground igniting the sawdust that was covering everything. This was at the top of the structure. The burning sawdust then fell through the grating to the level below, and the sawdust on that level caught fire. The fire was burning at the top side entrance where the auger comes out of the bin to the electric motor, and on the deck below, and against the side of the sawdust bin. Supervisors got a hose and started to apply water. This created more smoke. Supervisor #1 decided to get the 80 yards of sawdust away from the walls of the bin. He told Employee #1, who was also a supervisor, to go down below and open the giant bottom doors of the bin. These doors are as long as the bin and 30 to 40 feet above the ground. Employee #1 went to the ground floor and then up 5 feet to a small landing that had the bottom door release chains and a small view port a couple of feet wide so that he could see what was happening. As he pulled the chains, the door opened dropping tons of burning sawdust 30 feet to the floor. The ignited sawdust, which had been smoldering inside the bin with inadequate oxygen, found all it needed as it was released into fresh air. Tons of sawdust flashed sending flames out through the view port and burning the arms, face and body of Employee #1. He was treated at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.