Atlas Foundry explosion

An explosion occurred at Atlas Foundry on October 6, 2007 in Tacoma, Washington. It began with a propane tanker that exploded at Atlas Castings & Technology. The entire explosion was captured by surveillance cameras, and on amateur video. The footage shown from the camera mounted in an alley on Atlas property shows driver Charles McDonald delivering propane from his truck to stationary tanks. The gas was first ignited by the hot turbocharger on McDonald's idling rig. A relatively small flash explosion inflicted what proved to be fatal burns on McDonald. Subsequent explosions sent fire hundreds of feet into the air and were heard for miles. Badly injured but conscious, McDonald crawled approximately 200 feet away from the fire before the tanker's 8,000-gallon load of propane exploded. McDonald survived the second explosion but died in hospital two days later from burns. This was considered one of the most catastrophic disasters in Tacoma and the first incident the company has ever experienced.

The explosion made several news headlines, and was seen on one of truTV's Most Shocking clips.

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