OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14254999

FIREFIGHTER,WORK RULES,EXPLOSION,SPARK,REPAIR,NATURAL GAS,GAS LEAK

1987-08-05T00:00:00

Event: FIREFIGHTER,WORK RULES,EXPLOSION,SPARK,REPAIR,NATURAL GAS,GAS LEAK
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14254999
Report ID: 453710

Event description

ONE KILLED, 18 INJURED WHEN LEAKING NATURAL GAS EXPLODED

Investigation abstract

A GAS MAIN WAS BROKEN BY A CONSTRUCTION CREW LAYING SEWER LINES. A GAS COMPANY R EPAIR CREW RESPONDED. WHILE DIGGING WITH A BACKHOE, THE REPAIR CREW RUPTURED AN ADJACENT WATER MAIN. BOTH GAS AND WATER WERE LEAKING. THE WATER WAS TURNED OFF A ND WATER PUMPS WERE BROUGHT IN TO PUMP THE WATER OUT OF THE HOLE. THE PUMPS BEIN G USED TO REMOVE THE WATER WERE GASOLINE DRIVEN (SPARK PRODUCING). THE GAS IGNIT ED, CAUSING AN EXPLOSION THAT KILLED ONE WORKER AND INJURED EIGHTEEN OTHERS. NO ONE HAD TURNED OFF THE GAS BEFORE ATTEMPTING THE REPAIR.

Victims (19)

#1 Hospitalized Age 27 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
417

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
1

Task assigned
1
#10 Hospitalized Age 39 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#11 Hospitalized Age 35 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#12 Hospitalized Age 28 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#13 Hospitalized Age 31 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#14 Hospitalized Age 46 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#15 Hospitalized Age 27 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#16 Non-hospitalized injury Age 33 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#17 Non-hospitalized injury Age 25 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#18 Hospitalized Age 24 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#2 Hospitalized Age 26 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
417

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
1

Task assigned
1
#3 Fatality Age 67 M

Nature of injury
9

Part of body
19

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
413

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
1

Task assigned
1
#4 Hospitalized Age 55 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
413

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
1

Task assigned
1
#5 Hospitalized Age 46 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
413

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
1

Task assigned
1
#6 Hospitalized Age 46 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
413

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
1

Task assigned
1
#7 Non-hospitalized injury Age 42 M

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
14

Event type
6

Source
5

Occupation code
599

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#8 Non-hospitalized injury Age 38 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
37

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#9 Non-hospitalized injury Age 34 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
12

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
37

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#981 Degree 0 Age 0

Nature of injury
0

Part of body
0

Event type
0

Source
0

Occupation code
0

Human factor
0

Environmental factor
0

Task assigned
0

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