Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201043536 - Employee killed in gas leak explosion in trench

Accident Summary Nr: 201043536 -- Report ID: 0953220 -- Event Date: 12/27/2007
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
311636575	12/27/2007	1794	238910	Tejas Underground, Llc
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
311638498	12/29/2007	4923	221210	Southwest Gas Corporation

Abstract: On December 27, 2007, Employee #1, the foreman at the North Ranch construction site, was approached by a backhoe operator who had been excavating around an active gas pipeline, approximately 200 ft away from Employee #1. The Case backhoe had struck the purge T of the active pipeline, releasing gas into the atmosphere. Employee #1 went with the coworker to assess the damage to the utility pipe. He had entered the 8 ft 3 in. deep excavation when there was an explosion and fire. Employee #1 was instantly consumed by flames. Coworkers tried to rescue him, but without adequate egress they were unable to retrieve him from the bottom of the excavation. Employee #1's body was recovered by first responders when they arrived at the site.

Keywords: OBSTRUCTED EGRESS, EXCAVATION, WORK RULES, EXPLOSION, BURN, FIRE, CONSTRUCTION, NATURAL GAS, PIPELINE, GAS LEAK

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Excavation, landfill		New project or new addition		$50,000 to $250,000			X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	311636575			Fatality	Burn/Scald(Heat)	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Trenching, installing pipe Fatality Cause: Fire/explosion
2	311638498					Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Fatality Cause:

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