A welding canister filled with combustible gas exploded Wednesday morning at a north Florida iron works, tragically killing an employee.
Welding Cylinder Suffered “Catastrophic Structural Failure”
The June 6th explosion was reported shortly before 7:20 a.m. at the Suwannee Iron Works & Fence plant, located at 22618 County Road 49, near the town of O’Brien.
According to Suwannee County Public Safety Director James Sommers, workers were in the process of relocating dozens of pressurized gas welding cylinders when one exploded.
Officials have since determined that the cylinder suffered a “catastrophic structural failure,” though it’s not clear why.
Fortunately, some 50 additional cylinders located in the vicinity were unaffected by the blast.
32-Year-Old Ironworker and Father of 2 Died at Scene
32-year-old Andrew Reynolds, an ironworker at the facility, suffered extensive injuries and died at the scene.
“It was found that the bottle contained nitrogen butane and propane,” Sommers said. “He was moving the cylinder to a safer area and the bottle exploded on him.”
Reynolds, a resident of nearby O’Brien, leaves behind a wife and two children.
No other workers were injured.
State, Local Agencies Investigating Suwannee Iron Works Explosion
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was called to the scene to determine if any workplace safety violations contributed to Wednesday’s deadly explosion.
The Florida Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigation is working to determine why the cylinder exploded.
Founded in 1990, Suwannee Iron Works & Fence fabricates and installs steel framing for commercial structures.
The family-owned business also installs chain link, wrought iron, PVC and wood fences.
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