Texas-Fumes From Oil Tanker Truck Kill Two Workers

Source: News 4 San Antonio

Two workers died after they were apparently overcome by fumes at a South Bexar County trucking business near Atascosa, Texas Tuesday.

Emergency crews were called to Pinnacle Truck, Trailer & Rail at 17601 I-35 South, near Lucky Road around 10 a.m. Tuesday morning. A spokesperson for the Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office said workers were employees at the business and were both in their 20s.

"The company receives empty crude oil tankers. They vent them for 24 hours to prepare the tankers to receive more crude oil," explained Bexar County Fire Marshal spokesperson Laura Jesse. "One of gentleman workers entered the tanker without it being property vented," she said. "He was overcome by the fumes when he entered the tank."

The second employee also became overcome by the fumes. Co-workers said they last saw the workers around 9:30 a.m. and found them about 30 minutes later.

"Workers from the company went to go check on them and found them unconscious," Jesse told us.

Co-workers put on breathing apparatuses, pulled one of the victims out of the tanker and began performing CPR on him while others called 911. Crews from Lytle and Somerset Volunteer Fire Departments and Emergency Services District #5 responded to the call and pulled the other worker out and began CPS on him. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

The Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the case.