Accident Description
Two municipal workers died and another was seriously injured while attempting to remove a steel canopy above a methanol storage tank at the Bethune Point wastewater plant operated by the City of Daytona Beach. The workers were using a cutting torch that likely ignited methanol vapors from the tank and caused an explosion. The explosion led to the release of the total contents of the tank, approximately 3,000 gallons of methanol.
Investigation Status
The CSB’s final report, which recommended new workplace safety standards for Florida’s public employees, was issued at a news conference in Tallahassee on March 13, 2007.