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Investigators on Wednesday said a gas canister leak sparked an explosion at an industrial supply plant near downtown Dallas that injured three people, forced evacuations and closed down freeways.
According to a City of Dallas press release, a mechanical failure of pig-tailed acetylene cylinders is to blame for the blasts at Southwest Industrial Gases at 538 S. Industrial Blvd. at around 9:50 a.m. The "pig-tails" are the flexible hoses that attach to the top of the tanks.
"There were 100,000 cubic feet of acetylene gas in individual containers in a trailer located at the dock area. A leak was discovered. The employee that discovered the leak went inside and told the owner of the company. The owner and the employee went to the dock area with a fire hose in an attempt to keep the cylinders cool. Before they could cool the tanks a fire ignited," according to the release.
The co-owner of the business, 56-year-old Daniel McMurry, and company manager Randall Bibb, age 52, suffered burns when they attempted to put out the fire. They were listed in serious condition at Parkland Hospital.
A third man injured was a truck driver for GWS Welding Supply who was at the facility to refill empty cylinders. His employer, Buddy Dean, told FOX 4 that the building exploded before the driver could enter.
The driver hurt his back when he jumped from his truck. He was taken to Methodist Central Hospital.
The blast spewed flaming debris into the surrounding area, including parts of tanks that flew like missiles onto nearby I-35. Other debris broke windows several hundred yards away at Reunion Arena and the Hyatt Hotel.
Emergency workers decided to evacuate one-mile perimeter around the site, including several businesses and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Acetylene is a colorless, highly flammable and explosive gas used for metal welding and cutting.
Acetylene poses a minimal health risk when burned, according to health officials on the scene.
Dallas County health officials were at the scene monitoring air quality and said they had not detected any toxic or hazardous gases.
An eyewitness who works in the nearby courthouse said the explosion caused that building to shake.
TXU said it had cut power to Union Station at the request of the fire department to protect firefighters from electrocution.
A team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board is investigating the incident.
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. It does not issue fines or citations but instead makes safety recommendations.
