KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. — A Wednesday afternoon work-related explosion in Kanawha County claimed a man’s life.
The incident happened around 2 p.m. at Custom Welding and Fabrication in Jefferson. Authorities reported the victim was an employee of the business.
Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford said the man was in a shop using a blowtorch on a gas tank when the tank exploded. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“He was in the shop by himself and was using a torch on a tank and during the process of using the torch on the tank, the tank exploded and he was deceased,” Rutherford said.
Authorities have not released the name of the man but the Jefferson Business Association released a statement on Facebook Wednesday night.
“Today in Jefferson, we lost one of our own, a very hard working Jefferson business man who was enormously talented and skilled at his job. Who loved his craft and his family and supported the Jefferson Business Community whenever needed. Please keep the Crockett family and Custom Welding and Fabrication in your thoughts and prayers this week. It’s been a hard and difficult day for not only his family but also the tight knit Jefferson business community.”
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident.