Coffee Stand Owner Dies When Leak from Propane Cylinder Causes a Fire, Washington

Washington Case Report: 16WA001
Release Date: October 20, 2016
The following report is the product of our Cooperative State partner and is presented here in its original unedited form from the state. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

SUMMARY

In January of 2016, a 26-year-old drive-through coffee stand owner died from burns she received when her stand caught fire. Propane vapor leaking from a 20-pound barbecue style cylinder was ignited by the open flame of a propane space heater’s pilot light. The space heater was used to heat the stand. She had been using the 20-pound cylinder with a coupler adapter to transfer propane to refill1-pound cylinders. These cylinders were used to fuel the space heater. She received burns to 90% of her body and died four days later.

Coffee Stand Owner Dies When Leak from Propane Cylinder Causes a Fire, Washington [PDF 797 KB]