OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #976274
AMOCO OIL COMPANY WHITING REFINERY
WHITING, IN·
Event description
Three employees killed, one burned in oil refinery explosion
Investigation abstract
At approximately 2:35 p.m. on October 30, 1988, Employees #1 through #4 were att he employees were sprayed with hot asphalt as the tank separated from its founda tion. Employees #1, #2, and #3 died as a result of severe 3rd-degree burns over 50 percent of their bodies. Employee #4 sustained 3rd-degree burns over approxim ately 40 percent of his body and was transported to a Chicago, IL, hospital in c ritical condition. A pocket of water confined under a solid layer of asphalt at the bottom of the tank, which rapidly converted to steam, was the probable cause of the explosion. empting to ignite the #3 oxidizer's incinerator using a makeshift torch when a v iolent internal explosion of the #3 oxidizer's tank occurred. The employees were standing on the ground at the east side of the incinerator, which is located in the northeast section of the refinery. An eyewitness stated the 176,000 gallon capacity tank, which was approximately 1/3 filled with 530 degree asphalt, viole ntly broke loose from its concrete foundations. The tank rose approximately 30 f t and traveled 40 ft west and collapsed along the west side of its foundation. T he most severe damage occurred along the southwest section of the tank's base. T
Victims (4)
-
#1 Fatality Age 44 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 10
- Source
- 35
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 9
- Environmental factor
- 10
- Hazardous substance
- 2037
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Fatality Age 37 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 10
- Source
- 35
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 9
- Environmental factor
- 10
- Hazardous substance
- 2037
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#3 Fatality Age 40 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 10
- Source
- 35
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 9
- Environmental factor
- 10
- Hazardous substance
- 2037
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#4 Hospitalized Age 44 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 10
- Source
- 35
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 9
- Environmental factor
- 10
- Hazardous substance
- 2037
- Task assigned
- 1
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