Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Explosion at Scrap Metal Plant

Breaking News: The Yaffe Iron and Metals scrap metal plant in Muskogee, Oklahoma exploded tonight, injuring two workers. There are also reports that two workers may be missing.

I probably wouldn't even have mentioned it except that I noticed that a lot of people searching Google for information about the explosion were being led to Confined Space.

Why? Last April, I reported this:
Rodrigo Diaz, 63, of Rogers died Sunday at the burn unit in a Springfield, Mo., hospital. He lived for 20 days after he accidentally set himself on fire outside the business at 721 N. Arkansas while using a cutting torch.

Johnnie Johnson, safety director for Yaffe Companies in Muskogee, Okla., said the investigation will show Diaz's death was the result of a "tragic, freak accident" and that Rogers Iron and Metal was not at fault. Yaffe is Rogers Iron and Metal's parent company.
Hmm, an explosion following a fatality? Maybe Diaz's death wasn't so "freak" after all.