Close call. (The Goodness of America).During 26 years delivering propane propane, CH3CH2CH3, colorless, gaseous alkane. It is readily liquefied by compression and cooling. It melts at −189.9°C; and boils at −42.2°C;. Dennis Schmotzer of Tampa, Florida “Tampa” redirects here. For other uses, see Tampa (disambiguation). Tampa is a United States city in Hillsborough County, on the west coast of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County.GR6. , never considered his job particularly risky --until June 24th of this year. At around noon that day he was filling a 100-pound propane cylinder when an excess flow valve malfunctioned. During a July 1st news conference in the burn unit of Tampa General Hospital (where he was recovering from what happened next), he recalled, "I knew I had a problem when I couldn't stop the gas flow." Suddenly, there was a loud "whoosh whoosh also woosh n. 1. A sibilant sound: the whoosh of the high-speed elevator. 2. A swift movement or flow; a rush or spurt. intr.v. " accompanied by an enormous orange flame. "I was knocked to the ground in the flare-up," he told reporters. "Then I was in fear; I was in real fear." As described in the July 2nd Tampa Tribune, "The blast blew off Schmotzer's hat, glasses and watch and knocked the battery out of his cellular telephone. The front of his short-sleeve shirt was burned off. Uncertain if the remaining portion was ablaze, he shed it as he fled." Then, he realized that the propane hose remained near the 3,000-gallon tanker truck, and "if that hose catches on, the whole truck is gonna gon·na Informal Contraction of going to: We're gonna win today. go." Despite his serious injuries and excruciating pain, he ran to retrieve the hose while yelling yell v. yelled, yell·ing, yells v.intr. To cry out loudly, as in pain, fright, surprise, or enthusiasm. v.tr. To utter or express with a loud cry. See Synonyms at shout. n. to nearby residents to call 911. Fortunately, the blast did not render him unconscious, for if it had, he is convinced, "I would have been killed." Others near the scene may also have fled, been seriously injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. , or at least been forced to watch flames consume their homes. But Schmotzer somehow managed to climb into his truck and drive it off to a safe distance. One home did catch fire, however. As noted by Tribune reporter George Wilkens, 'Schmotzer said he received flowers and calls from LeGrand Jones, the customer whose home burned. 'I deeply appreciate that,' Schmotzer said. 'In my heart, I know t wasn't my fault. That valve didn't operate the way it was supposed to operate.'" Schmotzer suffered second-degree burns second-degree burn n. A burn that blisters the skin and is more severe than a first-degree burn. second-degree burn See Burn. over 30-40 percent of his body. His legs were the most seriously burned, along with his arms from elbows to wrists. His gloves saved his hands. |
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