OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #521518

VENTILATION,EXPLOSION,CRAWL SPACE

1990-03-06T00:00:00

Event: VENTILATION,EXPLOSION,CRAWL SPACE
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 521518
Report ID: 830500

Event description

Three employees killed, other injured in bank explosion

Investigation abstract

A two-story bank building with an unvented crawl space under the whole structure exploded as a result of hydrocarbon-based gas buildup in the crawl space. Emplo yees #1, #2, and #3 were killed; Employees #4, #7, #8, #9, #11, #12, #13, and #1 4 were hospitalized and Employees #5, #6, and #10 were not hospitalized. There h ad been no indication of a gas buildup or any warning given. The Bureau of Alcoh ol, Tobacco and Firearms ruled out any high explosive involvement, titling the r emaining rubble as a classic gas explosion, as all parts fell within 6 ft of the foundation.

Victims (14)

#1 Fatality Age 31 F

Nature of injury
12

Part of body
13

Event type
1

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
6

Task assigned
1
#10 Non-hospitalized injury Age 23 F

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
4

Event type
1

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
2

Task assigned
1
#11 Hospitalized Age 23 M

Nature of injury
7

Part of body
2

Event type
2

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
4

Task assigned
1
#12 Hospitalized Age 41 F

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
4

Event type
14

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#13 Hospitalized Age 37 F

Nature of injury
7

Part of body
4

Event type
2

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
2

Task assigned
1
#14 Hospitalized Age 33 F

Nature of injury
7

Part of body
4

Event type
2

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
2

Task assigned
1
#2 Fatality Age 30 F

Nature of injury
2

Part of body
5

Event type
2

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
6

Task assigned
1
#3 Fatality Age 33 F

Nature of injury
2

Part of body
5

Event type
2

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
6

Task assigned
1
#4 Hospitalized Age 43 M

Nature of injury
18

Part of body
28

Event type
1

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
2

Task assigned
1
#5 Non-hospitalized injury Age 39 M

Nature of injury
9

Part of body
21

Event type
1

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
6

Task assigned
1
#6 Non-hospitalized injury Age 26 F

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
3

Event type
1

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
2

Task assigned
1
#7 Hospitalized Age 34 F

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
4

Event type
14

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
7

Task assigned
1
#8 Hospitalized Age 31 M

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
4

Event type
1

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
2

Task assigned
1
#9 Hospitalized Age 25 M

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
4

Event type
1

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
10

Environmental factor
4

Task assigned
1

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