According to a story in the San Francisco-area media outlet, Bay City News, four people were injured in an explosion during a septic tank demolition job in Camp Meeker, Calif., last week.

Two workers for a local construction company were demolishing an abandoned tank Dec. 8, when one of them entered the tank with a jackhammer to break up the concrete floor. When the worker started the jackhammer, it triggered an explosion that caused first-, second- and third-degree burns on both workers and two others observing the work.

According to a preliminary report from the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health, nearby leaking propane pipes created an explosive atmosphere inside the tank and a spark from the jackhammer set off the blast.

Have you ever had a mishap while taking a septic tank out of service? What procedures do you follow when a tank is abandoned? If you have a comment on this situation, drop me a line at editor@pumper.com and I’ll post your responses on my editor’s blog.