Incident date: 2025-04-18
NAICS industry code: 811118

On April 18, 2025, an employee was cutting the lid off an empty 55-gallon drum using a plasma cutter. The drum originally contained a flammable liquid and residual liquid inside the drum ignited and exploded. The employee was hospitalized with burns to the face, chest, and arms.

Hazard classification:
code_event: title: Explosion of nonpressurized vapors, gases, or liquids
code_source: title: Solvents and degreasers  except naphtha based
code_nature: title: Thermal burns  degree unspecified
code_body: title: Multiple body parts  n.e.c.
severity: moderate