Inspection Detail

Inspection: 113542476 - Hathaway Tree & Landscaping Service

Inspection Information - Office: Boston North Area Office

Investigation Summary

Some time before 3:30 p.m. on July 24, 1998, Employee #1, the owner of Hathaway Tree and Landscaping Service, was refueling a John Deere riding lawnmower, model 56, serial #069128M at a private residence. According to a coworker, the lawnmower's hot engine ignited the fuel. In the ensuing explosion of flames, Employee #1 caught on fire. He began rolling on the ground to put out the flames and his 7-year-old son began screaming for help. The coworker finished extinguishing the flames and instructed a neighbor to call 911. Employee #1 sustained burns over 45 percent of his body and was transported to Emerson Hospital. After an evaluation, he was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. As of July 27, 1998, Employee #1 had undergone one round of surgery to relieve pressure at the site of third-degree burns on his lower extremities.

Keywords: BURN, HEAT, FLAMMABLE LIQUID, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, WORK RULES, FIRE, GAS, EXPLOSION, LAWN MOWER, GASOLINE