Inspection Detail

Inspection: 102041035 - Watson Truck & Supply

Inspection Information - Office: State Of New Mexico Environment Department Occupational Health & Safety Bureau

Investigation Summary

THE PARTS STORE STAFF WERE JUST ARIVING FOR WORK. EMPLOYEE #1 WENT BEHIND THE COUNTER TO DRINK SOME COFFEE AND SMOKE A CIGARETTE. EMPLOYEES #2 AND #3 WERE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE COUNTER, IN THE LOBBY AREA, OF THE NEW PARTS STORE. THEY STATED THAT A CIRCLE OF FIRE ENGULFED THEM. EMPLOYEES #2 AND #3 WERE BLOWN OUT THE FRONT DOOR. THE ENTIRE BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED BY THE BLAST. LATER EXAMINATION AND INTERVIEWS SHOWED THAT GAS HAD BEEN TURNED ON TO THE NEW PARTS STORE THE PREVIOUS EVENING, EVEN THOUGH THE GAS LINES HAD NOT YET BEEN CONNECTED TO THE NEW GAS HEATERS. THE GAS HAD APPARENTLY BEEN ERRONEOUSLY TURNED ON DURING MODIFICATION WORK GOING ON IN THE MAIN AUTOMOTIVE SALES BUILDING.

Keywords: LEAK, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, NATURAL GAS, EXPLOSION, SMOKING