Worker injured in Saturday blast
Cause of blaze under investigation
By Elizabeth Hackenburg ehackenburg@willistonherald.com
Apr 11, 2017
A worker was severely burned as the result of an explosion at a Williams County oilfield business on Saturday afternoon, local and state officials say.
The cause of the fire and how the man was injured are still under investigation by the state fire marshal, according to Williston Rural Fire Chief Dave Benth, who said firefighters arrived about 3 p.m. to find an industrial building on 145th Avenue NW engulfed in flames.
A gofundme account has been set up for Daniel Crawford, who, according to an update on the site, is now in critical but stable condition at a hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota.
He was initially flown to the hospital in Williston and later transferred out of state, Benth said.
Crawford is an employee of 640 Energy LLC, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which was notified of the incident on Monday.
“We will be investigating,” Eric Brooks, head of the agency’s Bismarck office, said.
It took firefighters about three hours to completely extinguish the blaze, which broke out at a trucking business where propane was kept, Benth said.
Investigators are not considering the fire suspicious, but are looking further into what happened in the moments leading up to an explosion and Crawford’s injuries.
The gofundme account can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/daniel-crawford-medical-expenses.
About 640 Energy LLC
High efficiency frac water heating.
Water depots.
SWD
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Worker hurt in explosion showing signs of progress
By Elizabeth Hackenburg ehackenburg@willistonherald.com
10 hrs ago
A Williston man is showing signs of progress in a Minnesota burn unit, where he underwent surgery Tuesday morning after suffering serious injuries in an explosion over the weekend.
Daniel Crawford received second and third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body after leaking propane ignited while he was working on a truck Saturday afternoon in Williams County.
Crawford, who is in his early 50s, is expected to remain in the hospital for months, but is already responding to basic requests from nurses, Sandra Erwin, a longtime family friend, said.
“He’s opened his eyes for his son, he did that yesterday,” she said. “The nurses have asked him to do specific things and he has done them, so they think he is aware.”
Erwin set up a gofundme account to help Crawford’s family afford his medical care and other expenses as they travel to be with him in the hospital.
She’s raised about $1,400 so far.
“Even $5 to that (account) — it goes right to the family,” she said.
The state fire marshal is investigating the incident, which took place at a trucking business on 145th Avenue NW. A report on the cause of the fire is expected by next week.
Investigators believe Crawford was working on a propane tank truck when leaking propane somehow ignited, causing an explosion, Williston Rural Fire Chief Dave Benth said.
It’s unclear how much propane was on the truck, although there are indications that the 3,000 gallon tank was about 70 percent full, he said.
The truck was parked in front of an industrial building at the time of the explosion, which destroyed the structure.
Crawford, an employee of 640 Energy LLC, has lived in Williston for about four years, Erwin said. A Michigan native, he is a father and grandfather, and an avid motorcyclist.
The Williston Area Riders, a motorcycle group, is planning a benefit ride to help with long term expenses, although the event has not yet been scheduled, Erwin said.
Crawford’s gofundme account can be found here https://www.gofundme.com/daniel-crawford-medical-expenses.
Daniel Crawford was injured in a fire today. He's burned on over 80% of his body, and will be in the ICU in St Paul MN for months. His family needs all the help they can get with travel and medical expenses as well as all the prayers in the world. Dan is a wonderful, caring guy who's family means more to him than anything. Please pray for him!