Worker sustained injuries on the face, stomach
A fire protection service worker in Florida, U.S. was injured in an explosion in the back of a truck last week.
The incident happened on Wednesday, when the man was grabbing a box out of his truck. The man was doing inventory on his fire suppression system and detonators, according to a CTV News report.
A blast suddenly knocked the man off his feet and sent smoke out of the truck.
“When fire crews responded, they found an adult male in the lobby that had sustained injuries to his torso and face, and had difficulty hearing and seeing,” Fire Chief Travis Reese told Fox4.
The source of the explosion was fire suppression devices, typically considered stable and widely used in aircraft and hotels, according to CTV News. More than 140 devices detonated in the truck bed, according to the report.
The blast was powerful enough to blow out the roof of the truck’s bed topper, leaving the vehicle visibly damaged in the parking lot the following day.
“This kind of accident is rare since these systems are usually very stable,” Reese said.
During the investigation, fire crews discovered undetonated fragments of the fire suppression devices. To ensure safety, a bomb squad was called in to detonate these fragments under controlled conditions.
The man sustained injuries on his face and stomach, according to CTV News. He had trouble seeing and hearing when fire officers arrived.
The worker was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach, according to a fire official cited in the report.
