ANDOVER, Kan. (AP) The fatal explosion and fire at a Butler County propane company occurred after a coupling broke, but officials say they may never know what caused that coupling to break.
Andover Fire Chief Jim Woydziak told The Wichita Eagle that the fire and explosion Aug. 2 at Global Propane occurred after a coupling broke as a worker was filling a 33-pound propane cylinder.
Jeffrey Burnham of Wichita died, and two other workers were injured.
The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office is leading the investigation into the blast. But Woydziak said investigators may never know what caused the coupling to break or what caused the spark that ignited the gas.
Shortly before the explosion, Burnham was working around a truck carrying 200 cylinders used to power forklifts.
