Abstract: Employee #1 was at an oil lease site. He and the person in charge of the oil lease site were trying to determine if a separator tank could be repaired or if it would have to be replaced. Arrangements were made for a truck that could remove the contents of the tank to be present, and the truck's driver removed as much material as he could from the tank through a valve. A plate would have to be removed to remove the rest of the sludge from the bottom. Employee #1 had a cutting torch ready to use. The truck driver told the two that if they were going to use the cutting torch, he was going to leave the site and would come back when the plate was off. The driver left the site and drove down the road to a safe distance. After a few minutes, he heard an explosion. The tank had exploded, burning both men. Employee #1 sustained burns to seventy percent of his body. He was killed.