Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310199898 - J G Boswell

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At 5:30 p.m. on October 30, 2007, Employee #1 was observing the cotton tractor in the field when he noticed smoke in the engine. Employee #1 told the Employee #2 operator to get off the cotton tractor because there was smoke coming out of the engine. Employee #3, the supervisor, instructed Employee #2 to off load the cotton basket from the tractor so it would not burn. Employee #2 climbed the tractor cab and turned the engine key to off, and unloaded the cotton basket. The cotton basket caught fire and exploded into a ball of fire. Employee #2 jumped off the cotton tractor to the ground and was slightly burned in the face, nose and eyelids, while Employee #1 was taken to Mercy Southwest Hospital where he was diagnosed with first degree burns to his nose, eyelids, and face. Employee #3 called the fire department and paramedics.

Keywords: BURN, FIRE, EXPLOSION, SMOKE, TRACTOR, COTTON, SMOKE INHALATION