One Marine Terminal Worker Dead; One Seriously Injured In Top Loader Tire Explosion [Los Angeles, CA – 15 May 2019]

Posted by admin on May 15, 2019 in Bulletins

Blueoceana Company has received reports this morning, that two workers (believed to be mechanics) were injured (one fatally; one requiring intensive care) when a top loader’s tire exploded at the FENIX [formerly Eagle Marine] facility on Terminal Island earlier today.

What little we currently know, is confined to the top loader being described as “an old Taylor” and that pre-explosion cracks present on the rim at issue were alleged to be evident. At this point in time further information is limited, but we’re relatively confident that more will be provided to this posting in one or more future updates.

UPDATE: 15 May 2019 9:30 PM EST – As related in the third Media Account (see link below), the ILWU mechanic fatally injured in this morning’s accident has been identified as Mr. Jose Santoyo, photo below. We grieve with his friends and with his family.

UPDATE: 19 May 2019 10:00 AM EST – While the investigations into this accident continue, and while we await the official outcomes of those works in progress, we have received unconfirmed information that appears to indicate that the accident victims may have made a fundamental error that contributed to this accident in no small way.

That information would have us understand that the mechanics deflated the inner tire on the top loader’s tandem tire axle, believing that they had deflated the outer tire. They began the outer tire’s removal accordingly, taking off the wheel’s lug nuts, one by one. When disengaging the last of the wheel’s many lug nuts the tire assembly exploded, causing the massive injuries that were sustained. The information also restates that at least one pre-explosion crack was observed on the wheel rim in the accident’s aftermath.

We want to emphasize that the foregoing information, while coming from an extremely reliable source, has yet to be confirmed by any ensuing investigation’s conclusions.

Still hospitalized in an induced coma is ILWU Mechanic, Mr. Pedro Chavarin. We’re hopeful for his full recovery.