(The following story by Barbara Boyer appeared on the Philadelphia Inquirer website on March 23.)
PHILADELPHIA — An explosion sent three SEPTA workers, one critically injured, to area hospitals after a boiler blew up in South Philadelphia yesterday morning, said a transit agency spokesman.
The explosion in the Southern District Depot at 20th and Johnston Streets happened shortly after 7 a.m. as two of the employees were working on a large boiler that provides heat for the depot, a building used for storage and maintenance, spokesman Richard Maloney said.
“They were working on it when it exploded for unknown reasons,” Maloney said. “It caused significant structural damage to that part of the building.”
One of the workers, a technician working on the boiler, was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania with critical injuries, Maloney said. The other technician and a third employee, who works at the depot, were taken to Jefferson University Hospital for treatment.
Police identified the victims as Wayne Kamman, 36, who had second-degree burns on his lower legs; John Vellucci, 47, the technician, who had second- and third-degree burns on his hands and arms; and Richard Printz, 47, transported for observation.
Maloney said the building was evacuated. City and state officials are investigating the cause. Maloney said parts of the large building, which encompasses a city block, are expected to be cleared for operation.