Bulletin March 2004.qxd
05/03/2004
11:49
Page 42
Articles But as Watson was cutting into the third tank, an explosion erupted and sent
flames
shooting
into
the
convenience store, officials said. “It appears right now that there was a breakdown of some sort in the process and that not all of the gasoline vapors were flushed out before the worker began cutting with the electric saw,” Branam said. Buildings blocks away shook and plumes of smoke filled the air, causing minor damage at other businesses in the strip mall.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Chief Chip Branam said. Each tank holds about 8,000 gallons, Branam said. Once the gas was removed, the tanks were hoisted above ground, where they sat for several days. On Wednesday, nine workers, including Watson and Parker, were removing gas vapours that might have been left in the tanks by either flushing them or filling them with an inert, nonexplosive gas, Branam said. Workers then used an electric saw to cut large holes in one end of each tank, allowing remaining vapors from the inert gas to escape, Branam said. Watson
was
killed
instantly,
authorities said. Parker was taken to Tampa General Hospital. He requested that no information about his condition be released to the media, hospital spokeswoman Ellen Fiss said. The convenience store was empty, and no one else was hurt, Carter said. Branam
said
Hillsborough
Fire
Rescue and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office responded, along with agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco,
Firearms
and
Explosives and the state Fire Marshal's Office. 42
