Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 950428 - One employee killed, one injured in fuel tank explosion

Accident Summary Nr: 950428 -- Report ID: 0355122 -- Event Date: 02/18/1997
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
125469817	02/18/1997	1799	0	W.E.L., Inc.

Abstract: Employees #1 and #2 were dismantling a 10 ft by 17 1/2 ft gasoline storage tank using acetylene cutting torches when the tank exploded. Shrapnel from the tank decapitated Employee #1 and seriously injured his coworker. Employee #2 is currently at the University of Virginia Burn Center, and is not expected to survive. The tank had not been vented or purged, nor had the level been checked.

Keywords: ACETYLENE TORCH, DISMANTLING, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, STORAGE TANK, EXPLOSION, STRUCK BY, FLYING OBJECT, DECAPITATED, CUTTING AND BURNING

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Tower, tank, storage elevator		Demolition		Under $50,000			X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	125469817			Hospitalized injury	Cut/Laceration	Welders and cutters	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Demolition Fatality Cause: Fire/explosion
2	125469817			Fatality	Amputation	Welders and cutters	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Demolition Fatality Cause: Fire/explosion

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