Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Man seriously burned when oxygen tank explodes

Explosion Fire Injury

Tim Szymanski / Las Vegas Fire & Rescue

A man was seriously injured in an explosion and fire at this strip mall in the 1700 block of Western Avenue in downtown Las Vegas on Monday, Oct. 27, 2014, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue officials said.

Updated Monday, Oct. 27, 2014 | 2:08 p.m.

A man was trying to remove a valve from an oxygen tank this morning when the tank exploded, seriously burning him, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue officials said.

He suffered second- and third-degree burns over about 40 percent of his body after trying to remove the brass fitting from the bottle with a hammer, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

The blast was reported about 10:30 a.m. at a downtown electronics shop at 1702 Western Ave., near West Wyoming Avenue and Interstate 15, officials said.

Fire officials believe a spark from the hammer caused the explosion, turning the bottle into a rocket-like projectile, Szymanski said. The man was trying to remove the brass valve so the aluminum bottle could be recycled, Szymanski said.

The blast caused about $10,000 damage, Szymanski said. The shop’s roof was damaged, as were windows and doors, he said.

The windows of a shop next door were also blown out, he said.

The fire was out by the time firefighters got there, and most of the damage appeared to have come from the explosion, Szymanski said.

The man was transported to the burn unit at University Medical Center, Szymanski said.

His injuries were not considered life threatening, he said.

Crews were cleaning up the shop, which repairs TVs and other electronics, Szymanski said.

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