Tanker Explodes in Maintenance Bay, Burns Two
Two workers have been burned Wednesday afternoon in an explosion of a tanker truck at a Fort Worth repair shop.
The explosion happened at the Fort Worth Tank Works near 33rd and Long Avenue at approximately 2 p.m. Wednesday at 3251 Braswell Drive, about a block east of Interstate 35W. According to Battalion Chief Richard Harrison, the workers, who are as yet unidentified, were taken to John Peter Smith Hospital by Medstar. According to officials, both workers suffered burns to their faces and hands. Their current condition is unknown at this time.
Chief Harrison said in a statement that the workers had been purging a tank when the tanker next to them exploded. The blast was strong enough to knock metal off of the roof above the maintenance bay.
Firefighters were called to the scene of the accident and quickly had the fire under control and put out. The tanker that had exploded appears to be one that had been used to carry fuel.
When you are on the job on a typical workday, you usually are not thinking about the possibly of having an accident at work. Workers who have suffered serious burns often have to look at being down from work for a period of time that is longer for other types of injuries.
Burn injuries are categorized by degrees. The guidelines as to what degree burn a worker may have suffered are:
First Degree Burn: A first degree burns are common and are considered superficial in nature. First degree burns are categorized as those having the least amount of damage to the skin and are usually marked by redness without blisters. A first degree burn is not considered dangerous, nor does it tend to leave any sort of lasting evidence or scarring.
Second Degree Burn: A second degree burn is a little more serious than a burn of the first degree. In second degree burns, there a is not only redness on the skin, but also blistering of the flesh. The blisters will often become noticeably filled with fluid. These fluid filled burns can be very painful, however, they also will not usually leave any sort of permanent scarring. Second degree burns generally require medical attention by a physician or nurse practitioner.
Third Degree Burn: A third degree penetrates through the skin and causes serious damage to the victim’s body. The flesh is usually burned away and into the muscle tissue. Sometimes there can be permanent nerve damage as well as permanent scarring or discoloration. A third degree burn, without exception, requires immediate medical attention. Third degree burns are most often considered to be life threatening. These types of injuries often require cosmetic surgery to correct them. Even with cosmetic surgery, often the skin forms a heavy keloid or raised scar at the location of the injury. The area that was burned may have permanent nerve damage, or cause the victim great pain and suffering when exposed to heat or cold of the seasons. Sometimes the pores in the skin can be completely burned away causing further medical complications with the body’s ability to regulate internal temperature.
Fourth & Fifth Degree Burn: A fourth degree burn injuries penetrate beneath the layers of the skin into the muscle tissue itself. These types of burns can often cause permanent muscle damage. Fourth degree burns are often life threatening, and must be treated immediately to avoid the loss of life. Fifth degree burns are those types of injuries that penetrate to the bone and are almost always fatal.
Because burns require specialized and often very extensive medical care, treatment and recovery for these injuries can last months, and even years. In some more severe burn cases, there may be a requirement of constant care after an accident. Burns are some of the most painful injuries in the world, and burns caused by gasoline or other forms of fuel can cause especially painful injuries. Workers who have been injured in accidents involving burns, especially those which are greater than a second degree burn, need to consider the future cost of the injuries as well as compensation for pain and suffering that they will face.
Sometimes when workers are injured on the job, the employer is not at fault. Injuries on the job can come from unsafe working conditions where a third party or defective product is involved or the unknown presence of another. Because certain types of jobs involve a higher amount of risk for serious injuries or even death, having a good, experienced attorney on your side to help you navigate through all of the insurance as well as legal details is important.
If you have been injured on the job or a loved one has suffered from a workplace injury, give our offices a call. Our attorneys have many years of experience in the courts in workplace injury cases in the Texas courts. An attorney will take the time to go over the details of your case, will talk with experts about your injury case and even act as a liaison between you and insurance companies and workman’s compensation to ensure that you receive fair treatment for your injuries. We can help you get the compensation you and your loved ones deserve. Your initial consultation with one of our legal professionals is confidential and without cost or obligation to you.
