Accident: 126081330 - Injured While Fighting Fire

At approximately 2:15 a.m. on October 29, 2000, Employee #1, a fire captain with 23 years of experience, and three coworkers were fighting a fire that had started at approximately 1:30 a.m. at a glass retailer. The crew entered the building from the front, which had not yet burned, and were wetting the areas before them as they advanced into the burning building. A coworker was between 2 and 3 ft away from Employee #1, helping him hose down small fires. The coworker glanced at Employee #1 every 20 to 30 seconds to maintain eye contact, and then saw that he had fallen through the floor and into the basement. Employee #1 sustained second- and third-degree burns on his chest, back, and legs, and soft tissue injuries to his back; he also suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning and lactic acidosis. These injuries resulted from exposure to the fire, smoke inhalation, and the fall through the floor into the basement. Apparently, the men had advanced along a walkway to an attached house. Employee #1 later stated that he thought he was standing on ground level and did not realize there was a basement. Normal procedures call for sounding roofs only. Employee #1 did not sound the floor and thought he was on solid ground. Apparently the floor was suffering from dry rot. The fire department's investigation indicated that the floor had collapsed from beneath Employee #1. Further investigation revealed that the ground sloped down from the front of the building, a fact that was not readily apparent from the street or from the front of the building.

fire, fire fighter, burn, smoke inhalation, work surface, collapse, carbon monoxide, back, fall

Accident: 801209 - Dies Of Smoke Inhalation And Burns

Employee #1 was operating heavy equipment to clear land when an employee of another company rode by and saw Employee #1 on fire. He stopped, administered first aid, and called 911. Employee #1 died of smoke inhalation and severe burns. There were no other employees nearby, and there were no burn marks on any of the equipment.

construction, burn, fire, smoke inhalation, inhalation, earthmoving equip, equipment operator, smoke

Accident: 784710 - Injured In Fall While Cleaning Tanker Trailer

At 10:35 a.m. on May 9, 2000, Employee #1, age 19, was using a high pressure sprayer to clean the inside of a tanker trailer. He either was standing on platforms near the top of the trailer or was on the fixed ladder on the side of the trailer. Employee #1 apparently became overcome by the smell of the chicken blood being hauled in the trailer and fell from the trailer. He sustained injuries that required hospitalization.

tank truck, tank truck, cleaning, dizziness, fall, vapor, overexposure, inhalation, truck