 |
| Machine operator injured in explosion at Kauai recycling yard (Image: Kauai Fire Department) |
August 17th 2018, 9:32 pm EDT
By HNN Staff
LIHUE, KAUAI (HawaiiNewsNow) -
A heavy machine operator was seriously injured on Friday after an explosion at a recycling yard in Puhi, according to the Kauai Fire Department.
The victim, a 38-year-old man, sustained severe burns to his arms and torso and was transported to the Wilcox Memorial Hospital.
A fire department spokesperson says the blast was first reported at around 8:30 a.m. The victim, an employee at Puhi Metals, was operating an excavator when a metal box ruptured and exploded.
Authorities say the man jumped off the excavator to say and remained conscious during the ordeal. Other employees at the facility used dry chemical extinguishers to bring the fire under control.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.