Several workers hurt after job site gas explosion

 Posted on August 24, 2015 in Workplace Accidents

California residents may be following the story of a gas explosion that injured three people at a Bronx high school. Workers were installing a new science lab when the accident took place at about 8 p.m. on Aug. 20. The accident occurred when a worker used a lit match to see if gas was going through the line as designed.

There were seven workers from a construction company at the school at the time of the accident. Three of the workers had serious burn injuries, and all seven were taken to area hospitals. The explosion caused damage to the 4th, 5th and 6th floor of the school with the 6th floor suffering the most damage.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the school would not be able to open on time, but that all students would be placed at nearby schools. An area assemblyman said that no one was going to be allowed back into the building until it was safe to do so. It is believed that some rooms on the 7th floor of the school suffered structural damage in the wake of the explosion.

Those who are hurt in construction accidents may want to discuss their cases with a personal injury attorney in order to determine the legal remedies that may be available. Those whose employers are required to carry workers' compensation insurance may be eligible to apply for benefits thereunder, which can include the payment or reimbursement of medical expenses along with a portion of lost wages. In cases where the accident was caused by the negligence of a non-employer third party, it is sometimes possible to pursue a separate legal action as well.

Source: DNA Info, "Gas Explosion at Bronx School Leaves 3 Workers Hurt, Officials Say", Janon Fisher, Murray Weiss and Ben Fractenberg , Aug. 20, 2015