UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: At approximately 11:00 a.m. on July 24, 2012, Employee #1, #2, #3 and #4, a crew , were conducting swabbing operations on an oil well site. The swabbing operatio n involved the removal of diesel fuel, crude oil and water from another well. A tank had been delivered from another site, which a swabbing operation was conduc ted. The tank was a metal vessel that was approximately 17 ft high by 12 ft in diameter. For the swabbing operation on this site, the crew filled the tank with salt water in preparation of a fracking operation. The crew noted that a leak w as present on the bottom of the tank and proceeded to drain the tank to repair t he leak. A welder proceeded to repair the bottom side of the metal tank. The tan k was sitting on an angle on the back of a delivery flatbed truck. Employee #2, a welder, had finished welding work on the swabbing tank when all of the employe es allegedly heard a hissing noise from the tank. After hearing the hissing nois e, the crew walked away from the tank. An explosion occurred a few seconds later , which enveloped four of the employees standing to the south of the tank. The f lash fire ignited the tank wheels on fire, but quickly burned out. Employee #1 r eceived second and third-degree burns to the arm and head. Employee #2 received second and third-degree burns to 95 percent of the body, and later died due to i njuries received. Employee #3 received second and third-degree burns to the arms and face. Employee #4 received burns to the arms. Employee #1, #3 and #4 were t ransported to the medical center burn unit, where they underwent burn treatment and were then hospitalized.