A shipping container explosion in Utah County has left a man in critical condition with major life-threatening burns to his body.
Police received a call Saturday morning at around 10 a.m. about the explosion which took place in the far southwest corner of the county. According to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, several different flammable fuels were in the shipping container and were ignited after the victim walked into the container and lit a propane heater on the far side of the container. As the victim walked towards the entrance of the container, the vapors inside ignited resulting in the explosion.
Local fire departments, sheriff’s deputies, and a medical helicopter all responded to the scene, located on private property along Hancock Ranch Road. The man was quickly airlifted and taken to the University of Utah Hospital’s burn unit where officials say that he suffered second-degree burns on 35% of his body with less-severe burns on the remainder of his body. The victim’s right hand also sustained critical injuries and was nearly severed in the incident.
The man’s name hasn’t been released but authorities say that he’s a 49-year-old man from Taylorsville.
