A rail car filled with construction materials caught on fire in New Jersey June 2012 when it was ignited by a welder. According to the Jersey Journal, the car was parked at the CSX rail yard on Pennsylvania Avenue in Kearny, New Jersey. Though no one was injured in the fire, the case brings up some important points.
From the Jersey Journal:
Kearny Fire Department Deputy Chief Joe Viscuso said the open-top gondola car carrying construction debris was being fitted with a ladder at CSX’s South Kearny rail yard when the fire started. A welder was attaching a ladder to the 15-foot high car when the heat from the weld ignited the wood and plaster debris inside the car.
Viscuso said the fire was reported at 2:08 p.m. and firefighters were on the scene by 2:14. He said he told the rail yard operators to use a crane to move other rail cars away from the gondola car on fire, isolating it to allow the department’s ladder truck to position itself over the car. He added the fire was too deep inside the car for them to reach it without the ladder truck.
Construction debris is often flammable. This particular rail car was said to be filled with wood and plaster, no doubt both of which were dry and probably highly flammable. The risks of using a welder on this particular car while it was filled will likely be looked at by the safety manager at that particular rail yard.
Often rail yards and construction zones will have strict rules on where and when welding can be done, all in an attempt to avoid accidents just like this one.
Hot work, including welding, is the source of numerous construction accidents and injuries each year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 36 people die in construction fires each year—a good reason to have strict regulations in place.
Chemicals or fumes can cause explosions; dried-out debris can catch fire, or shorted-out equipment can cause a spark. There are numerous different fire risks on a job site, each carrying the potential for tragedy.
How Ginarte Can Help
The New York / New Jersey attorneys with the Ginarte Law Firm understand the risks involved with construction work and fires. They know the injuries from a fire can be some of the most painful and long-lasting injuries a person can experience. They also understand that in many of these accidents, someone dropped the ball.
When you are hurt in an accident like this, you deserve justice. You expect to be kept safe at work, and when tragedy strikes, your employer can often be held responsible. Contact us today to discuss the details of your workplace accident and what can be done. Our construction accident attorneys can be reached for a free consultation at (888) GINARTE, or use our online contact form.