WHAT SPARKED THE 'TAVARES' GAS PLANT EXPLOSION? SHOULD WE ASK THE BOSTON MARATHON RUNNERS, OR TAKE THE ADVICE OF THE 'SNOWDENS'?

WHAT SPARKED THE 'TAVARES' GAS PLANT EXPLOSION? SHOULD WE ASK THE BOSTON MARATHON RUNNERS, OR TAKE THE ADVICE OF THE 'SNOWDENS'?

By Amy Pavuk, Stephen Hudak, July 30, 2013

The late-night fireball that set off a series of spectacular explosions at a propane depot in Lake County may have been sparked by equipment failure and human error, Tavares Fire Chief Richard Keith said as federal authorities joined the inquiry.

Investigators were forced to suspend their probe Tuesday amid the smoldering hunks of metal at the Blue Rhino plant because of the risk posed by a huge, leaking storage tank.

The tank, one of three bulk containers holding about 30,000 pounds of liquefied propane, withstood the intense heat that melted vehicles in the employee parking lot but may have been damaged by propane cylinders that flew like missiles from the flames.

Keith wouldn't elaborate on the possible cause but said sabotage was not suspected.

The state Fire Marshal's Office is heading the investigation, but agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, part of a team that investigated April's deadly fire and explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, were expected to arrive in Tavares late Tuesday.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration also has opened an investigation into the latest incident, said Lindsay Williams, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Labor.

The plant, which refurbishes and fills 20-pound cylinders commonly used to fuel outdoor barbecue grills, passed inspections by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in March and as recently as July 19 with no violations, according to state records.

Tavares Mayor Robert Wolfe said during a tour of the devastation Tuesday that he has confidence in the company's safety record.

"It would be different if they were continually getting gigged by OSHA on safety issues, but they haven't," he said as firefighters worked to contain a hot spot behind the plant. "The only thing I'd like to see is — if they do plan on reopening, which I hope they do — I'd like to see a little better fail-safe plan in place for the waterlines."

Fire officials said fleeing employees did not manually activate waterlines designed to protect the bulk tanks.

Firefighters, police and paramedics listed injuries to nine people, eight of whom were workers. Five of the injured employees were listed in critical condition Tuesday, according to Jerry Smith, the county's Emergency Medical Services interim executive director.

Names of the injured workers have not been released, and hospitals in Orlando, Ocala and Gainesville said the workers and their families declined interview requests Tuesday.

One of the workers was Kaghy Sam, 29, of Leesburg, who was struck by a sport utility vehicle as he fled the fire and explosions that led to the evacuations of homes and neighborhoods within a mile of the plant.

The man whose car struck Sam, Gene Batson of Mount Dora, described a "fearful" sight as "the pops started and cans started to fly — it sounded like artillery shells going off everywhere."

Batson spotted Sam standing in the middle of the road — seemingly marveling at the spectacle — but didn't have time to react. Batson, 72, said several men fleeing the plant called out to Sam to move, but it was too late. The worker was launched into a ditch, and Batson's vehicle was disabled by the crash.

Batson called 911, but when he tried to approach Sam, the heat overtook him. He said he told the dispatcher he was afraid the fire would reach the three largest propane tanks.

Sam was flown by helicopter to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where he was listed Tuesday in serious condition.

'World War III'

An estimated 53,000 propane canisters were on Blue Rhino's fenced-in property when the fire erupted about 10:30 p.m.

Most ignited, and some flew into the night sky in fiery arcs, clanging dangerously off the large tanks and rolling under trucks, spreading the fire and the risk. One crashed through the roof of Herb Welder's trailer.

"It sounded like World War III," said Welder, who owns 23 acres abutting the plant property and who has been wary of the facility since it opened 10 years ago.

Blue Rhino is a subsidiary of Ferrellgas, based in Overland Park, Kan., and one of 60 licensed petroleum-gas dealers licensed in Central Florida. Company officials offered little explanation or comment Tuesday.

"We know very little so far. It's very early, it's very preliminary," said Ferrellgas spokesman Scott Brockelmeyer, who offered praise for emergency workers.

OSHA had previously cited Blue Rhino's Tavares operation for a "serious" safety violation in October 2011, which involved a power tool used for cleaning, according to an agency document. The violation was corrected.

Fire crews battled Tuesday's blaze with water and foam but, because of the intensity of the fire, were forced to let much of the fire burn itself out.

The flames, which leapt an estimated 200 feet into the air and were visible from Mount Dora and Leesburg, were fed by fuel in the propane canisters, some of which were stacked in trucks parked behind the facility.

Exhausted but relieved firefighters said the fire could have been far worse and more widespread if three bulk storage tanks, each holding 30,000 pounds of liquefied propane, had not withstood the searing heat and high-speed collisions with flying propane canisters.

"The fact that those things didn't explode, that's the reason I go to church on Sundays," said Eric Wages, 44, a Tavares battalion chief whose fire crew was first on the scene Monday night.

Those bulk tanks — and the enormous risk they posed — kept firefighters on edge.

"They're ... mini A-bombs," Lake County Fire & Rescue Battalion Chief Chris Croughwell said.

He feared a larger, more devastating explosion, explaining why he recommended increasing the evacuation area.

Gov. Rick Scott stopped in Tavares briefly Tuesday to praise the work of the first responders.

Residents evacuated

About 24 second-shift workers were in the main building on County Road 448 when the first explosion erupted, said Lt. John Herrell, a spokesman for the Lake County Sheriff's Office. Eight of those on duty at the time were assigned to the plant by a staffing agency.

Keith, the fire chief, said officials "spent a good part of our night actually searching for employees."

Some witnesses who live nearby thought it was fireworks at first. Others thought the sight of flames in the distance was a downed airplane.

The smaller explosions — which also could be felt miles away — continued for half an hour, causing a deluge of 911 calls.

"The windows shook in my house," said Lake County School Board member Debbie Stivender, who lives nearby. "I thought we were being bombed."

Keith said about 60 firefighters from multiple agencies responded to the blaze.

Thousands of twisted cylinders intended for barbecue grills littered nearby railroad tracks and pastures Tuesday morning, landing in smoking heaps.

Roads were closed, and residents from about 50 homes were forced to evacuate but were allowed to return about 2:40 a.m., when the fire was contained.

Crews thought the fire was extinguished by daylight, but even as reporters were granted access to the site Tuesday morning, firefighters discovered burning plastic tank caps in a large container.

"The fact that there are no fatalities is a blessing," Tavares City Administrator John Drury said. "This was a big deal, and a lot of people responded quickly and took care of the situation."

Staff writers Jerry Fallstrom, Susan Jacobson, Lauren Ritchie, Arelis R. Hernández, Ludmilla Lelis and Eloísa Ruano González contributed to this report.