Abstract: On August 20, 2005, Employee #1, a welder, and a coworker, a welder's helper, were removing a stainless steel storage tank from a de-commissioned industrial facility. The owners of the property had informed the salvage contractor that the tank was empty and clean. However the tank contained 250 gallons of used paint thinner. Employee #1 used an oxy-acetylene cutting torch to sever the pipe at the top of the tank. A spark fell into the tank, causing an explosion. Employee #1 was standing on top of the tank when the explosion occurred which propelled him through the sheet metal roof. He struck an adjacent cooling tower about 40 ft above the ground. Employee #1 died.