Abstract: AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM ON JULY 28, 1986, EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2 WERE FILLING 33.5 LP GAS CYLINDERS IN THE FILL ROOM OF AN LP GAS DISTRIBUTION PLANT. THE CYLINDERS WERE SET ON SCALES SO THAT THE EMPLOYEES COULD TELL WHEN THE TANKS WERE FULL. THE FILL AREA CONTAINED 3 SCALES, SIDE BY SIDE. ONLY THE LEFT AND RIGHT ONES WERE IN USE. THE TANK (CYLINDER) ON THE LEFT SCALE WAS CONNECTED AND BEING FILLED. AN EMPTY TANK HAD JUST BEEN PLACED ON THE RIGHT SCALE. THE FILLING GUN WAS HOOKED TO THE TANK, BUT THERE WAS NOT A GOOD FIT. PROPANE WAS LEAKING. EMPLOYEE #1 DISCONNECTED THE GUN TO READJUST THE FIT. THE TANK CHECK VALVE FAILED, ALLOWING A RAPID ESCAPE OF GAS. AS EMPLOYEE #1 ATTEMPTED TO REATTACH THE FILL GUN, A STATIC CHARGE WAS APPARENTLY CREATED BY THE RAPID ESCAPE OF GAS UNDER PRESSURE. A FLASH FIRE RESULTED, CAUSING BURNS TO THE FACE, HANDS AND ARMS OF BOTH EMPLOYEES. THEY WERE HOSPITALIZED.