Inspection Detail

Inspection: 103626081 - T.U. Electric

Inspection Information - Office: Dallas Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 and a coworker were using water to clean the buildup of residue from the inside walls of a 605 ft high chimney of a lignite coal power generating plant. A large amount of the material, about 15 ft thick and 40 ft in diameter, was located where the breech enters the chimney. Cleaning had progressed from the top down to the breech area. A fire-fighting type water hose was being used to apply water to the massive buildup. Suddenly, a large portion broke loose and fell about 80 to 100 ft to the bottom of the chimney. When it hit the bottom, the brick inner liner and the concrete outer shell collapsed. Employee #1 was tied off to a scaffold in the breech mouth and was crushed to death by the falling debris. Other employees in the area were not tied off with belts and were blown out away from the chimney by the air blast caused by the falling bricks.

Keywords: CLEANING, CRUSHED, FALLING OBJECT, CHIMNEY, SCAFFOLD