THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 10, 1994 TAG: 9409100272
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN E. QUINONES MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 32 lines
A 27-year-old employee of a petroleum equipment company was seriously injured Friday when an empty fuel tank he was trying to cut exploded.
Frank A. Joseph of the 3100 block of Fairview St. in Chesapeake was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital with massive leg injuries and severe burns on his back.
Police spokesman Larry Hill said Joseph, who works for Jones & Frank Corp. in the 1300 block of Ingleside Drive, was using a torch to remove the bottom of a 550-gallon fuel tank when vapors in or around the tank ignited.
Company officials say they are not sure how or why the accident occurred.
``It's my understanding that he was trying to dispose of the tank, but we don't know why he was using a welding torch, that's not our usual procedure'' said Hal Prentiss, executive vice president at Jones & Frank.
Joseph was in the rear yard of the company when the accident occurred, Prentiss said, and nobody knows why he chose to use the welding tool.
Fire Department officials said the company was to be cited for at least four safety violations in connection with the accident, including failure to properly purge a fuel tank, and the use of a cutting torch on the tank.
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT GENERAL by CNB