Employee catches fire when fuel tank he was welding exploded inside Lee’s Summit barn
A worker welding a leaking fuel tank was injured when the tank exploded inside a barn in Lee’s Summit, catching him on fire Tuesday afternoon, a spokesman for the Lee’s Summit Fire Department said in a news release.
The injured man was taken to a trauma center. His condition was not available Wednesday.
Firefighters responded about 4:20 p.m. Tuesday to a building fire in the 13000 block of East 99th Street in Lee’s Summit after several callers reported there had been an explosion, a man was on fire and black smoke was coming from a building, said Assistant Chief Jim Eden with the Lee’s Summit Fire Department.
Because the building is located near the border with Kansas City, firefighters from Kansas City and Raytown fire departments also responded.
Arriving firefighters reported seeing black smoke coming from a large metal barn that stores underground utility equipment and houses several horses and other livestock. Employees were assisting the man who had been on fire, as well as removing the animals, Eden said.
Kansas City firefighters extinguished the fire, bringing it under control shortly after 4:40 p.m.
The fire was contained to a pickup truck, a diesel fuel transfer tank and other nearby equipment. Part of the barn near the fire received heat and smoke damage, Eden said.
Investigators determined the explosion and fire occurred while the employee was attempting to repair a leak by welding a 100 gallon tank from another truck, he said.
After the smoke was cleared, the animals were allowed to return to the building. No other injuries were reported.
