Explosion injures two

Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.

On Thursday morning, at approximately 8:45 a.m., the Monticello community was shaken by an unmistakable boom as one of the tankers behind Morris Propane exploded. Within minutes, the Jefferson County Fire Rescue arrived on the scene with 101, Engine 1, Tanker 1, Rescue 31 and Rescue 32. Monticello Volunteer Fire Department also responded for automatic aid. Before they arrived, the rescue team was informed by dispatch that two of the three workers on site had been on top of the tank at the time of the explosion.
Upon arrival, 101 reported visible flames present around the bottom of the tank, which had become dislodged from its ten-foot brick support walls. The fire team was alerted by one of the workers that there was an individual lying facedown on the concrete between the two walls, but rescue personnel was unable to reach the patient due to the east egress being blocked by a mixture of gasoline and water, which was on fire and steadily spreading.
The fire rescue teams got to work extinguishing the flames, and EMS was able to reach 101 and the patient. The other worker that was on top of the tank when it exploded had crawled out of the work zone after the explosion and was helped to the office where he waited to be evaluated by medical personnel. Both workers were transported promptly to the hospital.
The three workers on scene had been contracted to clean the 14,000 gallon tank, which had previously been used to store premium unleaded fuel. One of the workers, who had witnessed the explosion, stated that the tank had reportedly been evacuated of fuel. The two workers caught in the explosion were using a PVC nozzle to vacuum debris from the top of the tank, 20 feet above ground. Notes from the fire report say that there was also a water hose being used that had an aluminum nozzle. At this time, it is still unknown what sparked the explosion.
According to the fire report, the explosion itself caused the south end of the tank to be sheared off, propelling it approximately 55 feet away, where it came to rest after colliding with a power pole, cutting it in half. The force of the explosion broke windows of the office building, adjacent business, a church building and two residences that were located one block southeast of the fuel yard.
Residents as far out as Lamont described feeling the resonance of the explosion, and a Facebook post made by a member of the Morris family indicated that none of the employees of Morris Propane or Eli Roberts were injured in the incident. The workers present at the time of the explosion were contract-company employees hired to clean the bulk fuel tanks, and the post requested continued prayers and well wishes for those who were injured.
The Florida Fire Marshal's office responded to investigate as a post-blast incident.