Abstract: On October 8, 1997, Employee #1 was in an open pit area called the scale drag, which had been shut down for maintenance. He was preparing to perform some hotwork with an oxygen-fuel gas cutting torch, and he placed the hose and torch head in the pit, along with other equipment and tools necessary for the job. He then left the area for between 30 and 40 minutes. Upon his return, he re-entered the scale drag pit and took out his striker to light the cutting torch when a flash fire erupted. Employee #1 sustained second- and third-degree burns over 60 percent of his body. He was transported to the hospital, where he died on October 31, 1997.