02:30 PM MDT on Friday, July 14, 2006

KTVB.COM

PAYETTE -- Investigators say they now know what caused an explosion at a New Plymouth biodiesel plant last week that killed a Meridian man.

KTVB

One man died at a fire and explosion at a New Plymouth biodiesel plant last Friday.

The Payette County Sheriff's Office released its findings today into the explosion and subsequent fire at the plant that left 25-year-old Blaise Black dead.

The cause of the fire was determined to be an explosion of a 25,000 gallon steel holding tank that Blaise was working on. The tank contain about 30 to 40 gallons of glycerin and methanol liquid mix. Both products are flammable and give off flammable vapors.

Investigators say at the time of the explosion Blaise was working on the top of the tank attempting to install a two-inch steel pipe with a 90-degree elbow on the end to function as a vent on the top of the tank. During the installation of the vent tube a steel two-inch cap was removed from the side of the tank where the vent was to be installed. This allowed the vapors to escape from the tank. When Blaise lit his cutting torch it ignited the vapors, which triggered the fire and explosion.

The Payette County coroner says Blaise it appears Blaise died from blunt force trauma as a result of the explosion.

The explosion would have thrown him violently upward against the ceiling and a large beam that was above him. As a result of the explosion, the ceiling and beam came down and trapped him on the top of the tank. The force of the impact would have killed him immediately.