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1 of 6 people hurt in Santa Paula area farm blast dies
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One of the six people injured in a weekend explosion at a farm near Santa Paula died Monday and the five others remained at burn centers, authorities said.
The explosion occurred about 3:40 p.m. Sunday at San Cristobal Distributing, an agricultural harvesting company located at 20991 South Mountain Road.
Margarito Gonzales, 22, was using a torch to cut the lid off a 55-gallon drum when a petroleum product inside the container ignited, causing it to explode, sheriff's Capt. Ross Bonfiglio said.
Gonzales died about 7:30 a.m. Monday at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, said Adelaida De La Cerda, a hospital spokeswoman.
Sergio Penton, 22, remained in critical condition at the hospital with burns over 35 percent of his body, De La Cerda said.
The four others were being treated at Sherman Oaks Hospital's Grossman Burn Center, said Debbie Groveman, a spokeswoman for the center. Luis Gonzales, 28, Daniel Calderon, 32, and Elizar Salazar, 24, were in serious but stable condition Monday, Groveman said. Jasmine Salazar, 3, was in good condition.
Elizar Salazar, daughter Jasmine and Calderon were scheduled to have surgery today to remove dead tissue, Groveman said. Luis Gonzales was scheduled to have the same procedure Wednesday.
Five of the injured were listed as living at the Mountain Road facility, Bonfiglio said.
San Cristobal Distributing officials could not be reached for comment Monday.
The area around the explosion site was taped off Monday afternoon. The explosion occurred about a mile north of South Mountain Road near the banks of the Santa Clara River.
Investigators from the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the farm Monday afternoon investigating the accident, spokesman Dean Fryer said. An official for San Cristobal Distributing called Cal-OSHA on Monday morning to report the incident, Fryer said.
Among other things, investigators are looking into exactly what Gonzales was doing when the accident occurred and whether any safety codes were violated, Fryer said.
OSHA investigations into work-related injuries or fatalities can take up to six months.
The agency's database, which goes back to 1972, has no record of any other incidents involving San Cristobal Distributing.
Barrel explosions happen occasionally in the construction and scrap metal industries, but Fryer said this was the first one he's heard of at an agricultural site during his 11-year career with OSHA.
— Staff writer John Scheibe contributed to this report.
Posted by desdave on June 24, 2008 at 6:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Who would take a torch to something without being very sure what was inside? And then gather the family around to watch. All it would have taken was a quick sniff to tell that it might be something flammable. I'm betting that the next thing we hear about this is the pending lawsuit against Co., the torch maker, the maker of the product inside the drum.
Posted by cowchip on June 24, 2008 at 7:23 a.m.
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Posted by BigJake on June 24, 2008 at 7:35 a.m.
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Posted by JamaicaClipper on June 24, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What brainiac would take a cutting torch to a 55 gal. drum that MAY have had petroleum products inside and then draw a crowd to watch.
Posted by numbnut on June 24, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Much like motorcyclists splitting lanes on the freeway, once again we have a fine example of natural selection.
Posted by alloyz25 on June 24, 2008 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I mean really!
Posted by SpiderWoman on June 24, 2008 at 8:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
. . . and to take a young child there too. It's not like they found a pirate's buried treasure chest.
Posted by Jacksprat on June 24, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Werein this story does it say he had the family there to watch him do this? I guess I can't read but it does not say that, it does say that this was at the farm, where I would guess the family lived. However that is beside the point who in their right mind would take a torch to a drum with out finding out just what was in it and if it was safe. Sorry the man died, and it is too bad that a lot of others were hurt, but this is one of those case where the brain was not working and there never should have been a problem.
Posted by Relvd98 on June 24, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Exactly. I don't recall reading that he had his family/friends standing around watching. Instead, let's all hope the victims come to a full recovery and stop blaming the guy, who is now deceased.
Posted by Equitable_Enforcer on June 24, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I feel for the human suffering that occurred from this accident. What I fear is that the employer, who creates wealth for our economy and work for his empoyees will be targeted by scumbag lawyers, either private or public. In this increasingly liberal world of ours, nobody is responsible for their own poor decisions. it is always somebody with deep pockets who didn't train them to do the obvious or who didn't post signs in a language other than English.
Posted by bella93030 on June 24, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mcgaw3046 It never says they were standing around but, you have to wonder what a 3 yr old was standing nearby for which is why assumptions were made that everybody was watching.
I pray for a speedy recovery for all especially the innocent 3yr old! ;(
Posted by JamaicaClipper on June 24, 2008 at 12:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A 55 gal. drum that MAY have had some flamable materials enclosed and a cutting torch. Does common sense play into any of this.
Posted by Will on June 24, 2008 at 1:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The operation in question is basically a Mexican farm operating in the USA. Probably mostly cash. Makes a living avoiding taxes and regulations. Adios.
Posted by NightLight on June 24, 2008 at 1:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why is OSHA investigating? All they have to do is ask some of the posters here who obviously have everything all figured out, even though they weren't there and have nothing to go on but the newspaper story.
It's disturbing how many people have something cruel or sarcastic to say about how the man deserved to die. How about a little human compassion and sympathy? At least he was working, trying to make a living when the accident happened, that alone says something about him. Obviously he made a bad decision but calling him names and making fun of him....sad.
Posted by JamaicaClipper on June 24, 2008 at 1:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
NightLight I think everyone has empathy and sympathy because of this accident that did not have to happen if some common sense had been exhibited.
Posted by whatever on June 24, 2008 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who ever had that child there should be charged with endangering the life of a child. Use your brains people. I am tired of seeing children put in danger because of poor parenting. Two children in what one day was hurt because of poor parenting. One got run over and now this. If it is a culture thing, then parents need parenting classes big time. Lawsuits will be flying..someone will get a new home out of this.
Posted by djh329 on June 24, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Chino What happened?
Posted by sparks240 on June 24, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Margarito Gonzales doesn't think there is a difference between a gun and a 55 gal container.
Posted by venturapagan on June 25, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I do believe it's a HAZMAT requirement to have a tank like that pressure-steamed clean before doing anything like it, for obvious reasons. And obviously HAZMAT regs were not being followed. Condolenses to the family, and Via Con Darwin...
Posted by iluvSP on June 26, 2008 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Terrible, but yah he should have checked it. juniormafia, partylop is making you famous man! Maybe she wants to jump rope with you?
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