Hot work explosion in Arkansas kills three workers
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) yesterday deployed a four-person investigation team to El Dorado, Arkansas to determine the cause of an explosion and fire that severely burned and killed three workers.
The accident occurred mid-afternoon on Monday on an oil tank site operated by Long Brothers Oil Company on land the company leased near El Dorado, in the southernmost part of the state. Preliminary information gathered by the CSB indicates workers were conducting hot work – defined as any burning, cutting, welding or other operation that is capable of initiating fires or explosions – on one of the tanks. The CSB team is expected to begin its investigation on site tomorrow morning.