MAPP Gas Explodes

Patchogue Phil_2

Saw this in todays newspaper.

Is there a special torch head to use with MAPP gas or will a regular propane torch head be OKAY?

Anyway, heres the story

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-litorch152825198aug15.story

3 Boiler Workers Burned as Gas Torch Explodes
By Thai Jones
STAFF WRITER

August 15, 2002

Three workers replacing a boiler and water heater in a Huntington house on Tuesday were seriously burned when an industrial-strength gas torch they were using exploded.

Around 4:30 p.m. Gary Wright, 49, of Patchogue was soldering pipes with a MAPP Gas torch in the basement of 23 Woolsey St. when he accidentally dropped it to the ground and the gas canister exploded, Suffolk County police said.

Wright suffered severe facial burns and was taken by police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital. Yesterday he remained in the burn unit in satisfactory condition. Two other workers, Celio Livicura, 29, of Patchogue, and Brian Falabella, 26, of Deer Park, were taken by ambulance to Huntington Hospital. Falabella was later transferred to Stony Brook and was in satisfactory condition yesterday, according to Stella Shivers, a hospital spokeswoman. No further information was available about Livicura's condition.

The men were employed by Burner King, according to Paul Girolamo, who lives at the house. Girolamo said he hired them to install a new boiler and water heater in the house where he has lived for more than 20 years. A Burner King employee reached by phone at the company's Ronkonkoma office would not comment.

Girolamo, 48, a special education teacher at North Shore High School, was outside painting.

"I heard a huge explosion and a massive billow of smoke came out of the basement window," he said.

Girolamo's wife, Nanette, 48, called 911 on a cell phone while her husband turned the garden hose on the three men. She said the basement was not damaged.

MAPP Gas uses an acetylene mixture that burns hotter than propane and is often used by plumbers to "sweat," or join, copper water pipes.

Frank Falabella visited his son, Brian, in the hospital on Tuesday night. "His arms were burned and his legs had some burns on them, and a little bit on the lip," Falabella said. "He was a little drowsy. It didn't look like he was in pain."

Falabella said some action should be taken. "They should investigate what happened so it doesn't happen to anyone again," he said.
Copyright © 2002, Newsday, Inc.