'The tank lifted off like a rocket:' Well site rupture leaves 1 dead, water emergency declared

Jun. 22—A mechanical failure led to the rupture of a 1.5 million-gallon water tank across the road from West Hills College Lemoore Monday, resulting in the death of a contractor and the injury of a city employee.

The rupture, which is expected to further exacerbate the water shortage in the area, prompted Lemoore City Manager Nathan Olson to declare a state of emergency at 12:45 p.m. Tuesday. As a part the emergency, watering of lawns is prohibited until further notice as well as using a hose to rinse concrete and wash vehicles.

Olson said 41-year-old Dion Jones, a contractor, was trying to weld a new flange on the tank at Station 7 Water Facility Complex on Monday afternoon. The tank had four to six feet of air inside of it at the top but had been vented. However, something inside the tank ignited, causing an explosion that sent it shooting approximately 70 feet into the air.

"When the tank ignited, the tank literally lifted off like a rocket," Olson said. "So once the tank lifted off, the 1.5 million gallons of water created a tsunami."

Jones was on a boom truck and the force of the exploding water was enough to carry the truck away until it flipped over. CPR was attempted on Jones by his colleagues, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Jones was married with three children. An employee with the City of Lemoore was also injured, but was released later Monday night.

West Hills Community College was evacuated after the explosion, but classes resumed Tuesday morning.

Olson noted that Well Sites 13 and 14 are connected to Station 7, and due to the rupture, the wells and Site No.7 are all shut down.

"We are working on a plan to get Station 7 back online. Cal OSHA is on site and we've been out there all day investigating the cause of the explosion," Olson said. "And the city will begin repairs when the site is cleared."

Power is expected to return to the site early next week and repairs will begin shortly.