Two people are dead and three others remain hospitalized after a June 13 flash fire at Carl Cannon Chevrolet in Jasper, Alabama. The five employees were cleaning the oil pit in the express lube center when the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m.
Investigators believe a chemical reaction between the oil and the cleaning solution caused the flash fire at the dealership located at 299 Carl Cannon Blvd. The incident was initially described as an explosion -and others at the dealership that day say that’s what it sounded like, but State Fire Marshal Scott Pilgreen told AL.com that a more accurate description is a flash fire- a sudden, intense fire caused by the ignition a flammable substance.
All five employees sustained extensive burns. Four of them were airlifted to the University of Alabama- Birmingham (UAB) Hospital’s burn unit. The fifth employee was transported to Walker Baptist Medical Center in Jasper.
Jake Jennings, 39, a father of three from Locust Fork died June 13 and was laid to rest four days later. A GoFundMe page has been created to help the Jennings family.
Javan Robinson died from his injuries after 10 days in the UAB burn unit, where Zack Davis and Jonah Johnson remain hospitalized.
BREAKING | Another victim, Javan Robinson, died today from his injuries after the Jasper car dealership explosionhttps://t.co/IlytQqXtq8 pic.twitter.com/YTaEglRHCD
— ABC 33/40 News (@abc3340) June 23, 2017
The Alabama State Fire Marshal’s office is working together with Jasper’s fire and police department and the Walker County Emergency Management Agency. They have not yet determined what ignited the chemicals in the oil pit.
Each year, about 3,300 Americans die from burn injuries and another 486,000 are injured, according to the Amercian Burn Association (ABA). About 8 percent of all burn injuries happen at work. Recovery from a burn injury can be a lengthy process that can leave survivors with scarring or life-long disability.
The burn attorneys at Pritzker Hageman represent injured clients and grieving families nationwide. Recently they secured a $10 million settlement for one client who was severely injured in an explosion. To contact Fred Pritzker or Eric Hageman for a free consultation about a burn injury or death lawsuit click here or call them toll-free at 1 (888) 377-8900. There is no obligation.