Mesa del man dies in explosion

By Michael Maresh, Roundup staff reporter

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

A Mesa del Caballo man died Sunday evening after an explosion at his home.

photo Senior picture of Jimmy Harris from the 2000 Payson High School yearbook.

Loyd "Jimmy" Harris, 24, was airlifted by helicopter to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn at about 5 p.m. Sunday, where he later died.

Houston Mesa Fire Department Captain Chuck Jacobs said it appears Harris was using a 55-gallon steel drum that once was used to store flammable fuel as a makeshift workbench while using a cutting torch.

Jacobs said the drum was sealed, causing the tank to explode as it heated up. The lid of the drum landed 150 feet from the barrel.

The fire captain said the torch ignited the residual fumes.

Harris was a 2000 Payson High School graduate.

Jacobs said if a steel drum that once stored fuel is going to be used as a workbench, it should be well-ventilated without a lid.

"This drum was sealed up," Jacobs said. "It blew the lid up. There was a tremendous amount of pressure in that drum."

A small fire from the explosion spread to an all-terrain vehicle and started a small grass fire.

Jacobs said the fire also extended to the residence and singed the outside of the home.

According to a press release from the Houston Mesa Fire District, the sound and the concussion from the explosion was heard and felt throughout the neighborhood.

A large number of residents rushed over to assist, controlling the fire and attempting to care for Harris until emergency personnel arrived at the location.

The Houston Mesa Fire Department, Payson Fire Department Lifestar Ambulance, Gila County Sheriff's Office and the Payson Police Department responded to the explosion.

Copyright © 2005 The Payson Roundup, all rights reserved

Story link: http://www.paysonroundup.com/section/frontpage_lead/story/25922

Submitted on 11/02/2006

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: The Payson Roundup 10-31-2006

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Neutral: Darwin Award
I'm very neutral on this one. While it isn't quite "lighting a match to look inside the gas tank", it has the same basic ingredients. I'll vote DA because it should have been at least a little obvious to the victim, but it just barely does it for me. Nevertheless, it IS different, and we DO appreciate the subission!

Graham said:
Maybe Toss: Too Common
I can't decide if I'm ambivalent on this one. I can see this happening if the workshop was unkempt. The drum was a mine, just waiting for a primer. In this case, the naked flame. I bet the explosion was spectacular. I’m not convinced the man was being stupid per se, but more negligent and careless.

Jorge said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award

Jack said:
Maybe Toss: Other
I would like to know if the drum was marked as having had once contained a flammable fuel. I have to vote to toss in the absence of other information.

Fitzroy said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
I'm not willing to exclude something so spectacular without a clear reason. I do share concerns about to what degree this was stupidity and to what degree it might have been commonplace carelessness, but not enough to have reservations about seeing the incident go further here. Many thanks for the contribution.

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