Worker Injured in Flash Fire in Gresham Accident

Date:  May 7, 2012
Location:  Dea’s In & Out Restaurant, 755 NE Burnside St., Gresham
Name:  Not yet released

A construction worker received serious burns in a flash fire at a Gresham restaurant Monday afternoon, and fire department officials are still trying to determine what caused the lacquer thinner the man was working with to suddenly ignite.

Gresham Fire Department Chief Jason McGowan said his crew received an emergency call just after 3 p.m. Monday, relating to a flash fire at Dea’s In & Out on NE Burnside Road. When they arrived, they discovered that a construction worker, believed to be in his late-30s, had been working with lacquer thinner in the bathroom of the restaurant as part of a remodeling project.

For reasons that have not yet been determined, the thinners ignited, and the man suffered significant burns in the flash fire. He was rushed to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center with serious but non-life threatening injuries, according to the report on KATU.com.

We would like to send our best wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the man who was injured in this accident and hope that he is out of the hospital soon.

Oregon construction sites can be full of hazards to workers, and a construction worker’s job can be extremely dangerous.

Common examples of construction accidents include:

• Loss of limb (hand, finger, foot, leg)
• Brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Burn injuries, including chemical burns
• Electric shock or electrocution
• Internal bleeding
• Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis.

It is important that construction companies are held accountable for unsafe workplace conditions, and that they pay for any negligence. Oregon construction workers who are injured on the job may be compensated for medical bills, physical therapy, time spent out of work, etc., and an Oregon construction accident attorney can help injured parties through the legal process.

 

 

Gas Explosion in Bend Critically Injures Resident

Date:  April 19, 2011
Location:  337 ½ NW Georgia Avenue, Bend
Names:  Michael Flint, Dan and Martha Mahoney

A loose connection to a furnace’s natural gas line is believed to have caused the explosion that critically injured a Bend man early Thursday morning. The blast occurred when the man, who was a tenant in the cottage, lit a cigarette.

Just before 4 a.m. Thursday, Deschutes County 911 dispatchers received at least 15 calls to report the explosion at 337 ½ NW Georgia Avenue. The cottage in which the blast happened was behind the main residence. Deputy Fire Marshal Susie Maniscalco told KTVZ.com that evidence indicated the connection of the furnace to the natural gas line was not tight enough, allowing gas to leak into the cottage.

Records show Dan and Martha Mahoney own the cottage. The injured man was identified as Michael Flint. He was initially taken to St. Charles Medical Center-Bend, then flown to the burn center at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, where he remains in a critical condition. The cottage was virtually destroyed and two adjacent houses were also damaged as the fire spread.

We would like to wish Michael Flint a full recovery from his injuries after this horrifying accident.

In Oregon, property owners are responsible for making certain their property is maintained safely, without any unreasonable dangers. Despite laws intended to protect people, many accidents still occur due to dangerous conditions.

Common types of premises liability cases include:
Slip and Fall:
Example: A store owner fails to mop up a wet floor, or provide proper traction, and a person slips and falls as a result.

Inadequate Maintenance:
Example: A hotel owner fails to maintain the premises, like when a falling tree branch injures a passerby because it has not been properly trimmed.

Defective Conditions:
Example: A property owner fails to repair or warn the public about a dangerous condition in the area, such as a broken staircase.

Inadequate Security.
Example: A parking structure company fails to install adequate lighting or warn patrons about dangerous criminal activity taking place on the premises.

If you have received injuries due to negligence by a property owner, contact a premises liability lawyer in Oregon to help you investigate, handle your case, and allow you to begin recovery.

Explosion Caused by Valve Malfunction Sends Man to ICU

Date:  April 8, 2012
Location:  6475 NE Dawson Creek Drive, Hillsboro
Name:  Eric Nehl

The family of a Metro West Ambulance employee are facing an anxious wait after an explosion at the service’s headquarters Easter Sunday morning. The 25-year-old single dad and volunteer firefighter was badly burned in the accident, evidently caused by a malfunctioning valve on an oxygen tank.

Eric Nehl, 25, of Scappoose, was filling the oxygen tank at around 8 a.m. Sunday, at the company’s headquarters, 6475 NE Dawson Creek Drive. Company spokeswoman Erin Miller told The Oregonian that a malfunctioning valve on the tank triggered an explosion and flash fire. Nehl received both first and second-degree burns in the blast, and he was rushed to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, where he has been placed in intensive care. Doctors there are trying to determine if Nehl’s lungs were also damaged in the explosion.

Nehl’s father, Steve, said it will be 24 to 48 hours before they know the true extent of his son’s injuries. “He looks terrible. He’s all bandaged up. We’re just hoping for the best,” Steve Nehl said.

Miller said Metro West will be launching a full investigation into the explosion.

We would like to send our best wishes to Eric Nehl for a full and speedy recovery from his injuries. Our thoughts are with Eric’s young daughter, as well as his father and the rest of the family.

If you’ve been injured by a product, like Eric Nehl in this accident, there are laws in place to protect your rights. Under product liability law, manufacturers are held accountable for ensuring that the products we buy are safe. There are three types of product liability claims:

1. Design defect – there was a problem with the product introduced during the design process, which means ALL of the same product may be defective and there may be other injuries. Consider filing a class action suit if there are many injuries.

2. Manufacturing defect – there was a problem with the product introduced during the manufacturing process. In cases like this, your product may be the only defective one, or there may only be a few.

3. Marketing defect – this one has less to do with the product itself and more to do with the instructions or warnings. If the manufacturer has failed to provide appropriate safe-handling instructions or proper warnings on the product, they can be held liable for injuries as well.

If you believe you’ve been injured due to any of these types of negligence, contact a Portland product liability attorney as soon as possible.

Man Injured in Metal Drum Explosion Suffered Serious Burns

Date:  April 3, 2012
Location:  Willamina Avenue and Reuter Lane, Forest Grove
Name:  Not yet released

A farm worker received serious burns to his legs when the metal drum he was cutting with a torch suddenly exploded Tuesday afternoon. The heat from the blast was enough to melt the windows of the barn in which the man was working.

The accident happened around 2:15 Tuesday, on a farm located at Willamina Avenue and Reuter Lane. According to the report in The Statesman Journal, the injured man thought the drum he was cutting was empty, but it evidently contained enough residue and fumes to cause the explosion.

Fire Division Chief Dave Nemeyer said the man, who was a volunteer firefighter, dropped to the ground and rolled to extinguish the flames on his pant legs. When emergency responders arrived on the scene, the man was still conscious. He was rushed to a local hospital for treatment. As of Wednesday, there was no word as to the man’s condition.

We would like to send our best wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the victim of this frightening accident.

In cases like this, it may be possible for the workplace injury victim to file a civil claim. If the injury is caused by someone other than the employer, it is possible to sue this third party in tort law. This third party could include another driver, a defective product manufacturer, a subcontractor, etc.

In order to avoid making a mistake in your claim, you should contact a professional workplace injury lawyer to evaluate your case and help you understand what damages are available to help you pay medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, etc.

Two Workers Exposed to Chemical Gases Were Rushed to Hospital

Date:  March 22, 2012
Location: 7200 N.W. Front Avenue, Portland
Names:  Not yet released

Two workers at Wacker Siltronics in Northwest Portland were rushed to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center Thursday night after they were exposed to potentially deadly chemical gases. The two men were doing maintenance work inside a chemical reactor when an explosion occurred at around 9 p.m.

According to the report on KOIN Local 6, the 56-year-old and 58-year-old men were carrying out routine maintenance inside the reactor when oxygen suddenly got inside, causing a chemical know as trichlorosilane to ignite. This released large levels of trichlorethylene gas, which can affect the nervous system, liver or lungs and can cause an abnormal heartbeat. If enough gas is inhaled, victims can go into a coma and die.

The two men were assessed at the scene by members of Portland Fire and Rescue before being taken to Legacy Emanuel with respiratory difficulties. One also complained of skin irritation. Both are expected to recover.

We would like to wish the two injured workers a full and speedy recovery after what must have been a very frightening ordeal.

Oregon factories can be full of hazards to workers, and a maintenance worker’s job can be extremely dangerous.

Common examples of accidents at work include:

• Loss of limb (hand, finger, foot, leg)
• Brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Burn injuries, including chemical burns
• Electric shock or electrocution
• Internal bleeding
• Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis.

It is important that manufacturing companies are held accountable for unsafe workplace conditions, and that they pay for any negligence. Oregon factory workers who are injured on the job may be compensated for medical bills, physical therapy, time spent out of work, etc., and an Oregon workplace accident attorney can help injured parties through the legal process.

Man Fell into Corrosive Chemical Tank and Died on Swan Island

Date:  February 19, 2012

Location:  6000 block of Basin Avenue, Swan Island Industrial Site

Name:  John Michael Summers

Portland Fire and Rescue performed the grim and dangerous job of recovering a man’s body from a tank of toxic and corrosive chemicals Sunday. The tank was on the D/B Boaz barge located at an industrial site on Swan Island, alongside the Willamette River.

John Michael Summers, 57, of Pe ell, Washington, was standing near an open hatch which led into a 40-foot by 50-foot tank  that was filled to a depth of 12 feet with a liquid chemical called Lignin Amine. When a co-worker turned away, then turned back, Summers had disappeared and the alarm was raised. Officials now believe Summers leaned down to open the hatch, passed out from the fumes and fell in. Lignin Amine sucks oxygen out of the air; there was less than a one percent concentration of oxygen at the surface of the tank, and anyone falling in would have been unconscious in a matter of seconds.

Rescue crews were called and used a camera to confirm Summers’ body was in the tank, which was then drained. It took crews about 45 minutes to then enter the tank and recover the body, according to the report on KOIN Local 6. Officials were unable to say whether or not Summers was wearing any safety equipment but said it was a situation which called for precautions to be in place.

We would like to extend our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John Summers at this tragic time.

In Oregon, property owners are responsible for making certain their property is maintained safely, without any unreasonable dangers. Despite laws intended to protect people, many accidents still occur due to dangerous conditions.

Common types of premises liability cases include:

Slip and Fall:
Example: A store owner fails to mop up a wet floor, or provide proper traction, and a person slips and falls as a result.

Inadequate Maintenance:
Example: A hotel owner fails to maintain the premises, like when a falling tree branch injures a passerby because it has not been properly trimmed.

Defective Conditions:
Example: A property owner fails to repair or warn the public about a dangerous condition in the area, such as a broken staircase.

Inadequate Security.
Example: A parking structure company fails to install adequate lighting or warn patrons about dangerous criminal activity taking place on the premises.

If you or a family member have received injuries due to negligence by a property owner, contact a premises liability lawyer in Oregon to help you investigate, handle your case, and allow you to begin recovery.