05/26/2006

Fuel tank explosion kills Bear Lake man

by ian c. storey

istorey@record-eagle.com

COPEMISH — Officials continue to investigate a fuel tank explosion that killed a Bear Lake man and created a shock wave that shattered windows of neighboring houses near a well site in Manistee County's Cleon Township.

State police said Jessie Hernandez, 38, was cutting fittings and valves from the top of a large fuel storage tank off Harlan Road around 3 p.m. Wednesday when the tank exploded.

State police Sgt. John Hansen of the Manistee post said Hernandez was using a power cutting saw on the top of the tank when the explosion occurred. The blast launched Hernandez 700 feet through the air.

"This was a significant, significant explosion," he said.

Hansen said the blast was so strong it blew the top off the 40-foot high fuel tank — a 30-foot diameter cap was hurled 200 feet — and shattered windows of neighboring homes.

"We had a report that a couple of neighboring houses had windows shattered and several pictures fell off the walls," he said. "One fireman that lives five miles away heard the blast from his home."

Hansen said state Department of Environmental Quality and Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials came to the scene Wednesday.

Hansen said Hernandez worked for Quick-Site, a salvage company out of Manistee apparently hired to dismantle the tanks.

"We haven't gotten all the reports back ourselves," said a woman who answered the telephone at Quick-Site. "We want to make sure we have all the facts in order before we make any statements."

Officials said the tank was in flames when emergency crews arrived. A trail of debris led them to Hernandez's body.

"There was a debris field that went from the site of the explosion to where he was found," he said.

Bob Versical, a geologist with the DEQ's office of geological survey, said the property is owned by Omnimex Energy of Ludington.

"The tanks were empty, but there was probably some residual in the bottom or sludge," he said. "With the warm weather that could have built up some vapors, but right now that is speculation."

No one else was injured. The fatality is being investigated by the state police fire marshal in Gladwin.