Tank explosion kills one - Cozumel

[DandyDon]

Por Esto! | Yucatán

Here is the Google translation...

COZUMEL, 26 August.- Explosion of a scuba tank caused the tragic death of the person who filled it, on being completely torn right leg, which conjugate with multiple injuries to the body caused his death.
Based on information issued in the Attorney General of the State (PGJE), a person named Juan Enrique Canché Ku, 34 years old, died inside the hospital known as the hyperbaric chamber located on 5th Street South between Rafael E. Melgar and Fifth Avenue, where he had been moved approximately 14:40 hours after leaving the seriously injured waist explode near a tank filled to dive in company facilities Scuba Cozumel Dive Shop, located in the Rafael E. Melgar Avenue between 19 and 21 South.
Against this hotel property name Scuba Club Cozumel Dive Resorts, which presumably has to do with the company where the incident occurred is, although no authority has confirmed.
's place where the unfortunate event happened was in an area where there is a boutique and a small winery in the background, being in that small space where the tank exploded. This land is located opposite the aforementioned hotel.
transcended the testimony of Henry Ernesto Zapata López, manager of the dive shop, reports that around 14:30 hours was attending to some customers, when suddenly he heard a loud explosion which Cimbro local and out desperately toward the area of compressors where the tanks are filled, finding the ground Juan Enrique Canché Ku covered in blood and with the right leg torn off, so he immediately called an ambulance arriving unit the hyperbaric chamber, whose paramedics were given the task to assist the injured and remove red code to your clinic to save her life.
however around 16:53 hours he reported to the PGJE that this person had died in the hospital not having resisted the multiple injuries he had to blow up the tank almost like splinters, pieces of metal so badly damaged.
Canché Ku was in charge of the fourth compressor, filling and maintenance of tanks in the dive company, and at the time of the crash was fulfilling his commission.
was learned that Dr. Oscar Gerardo García Ruiz, internist hospital diagnosed that death was "due to a profound shock, multiple traumatic amputation of the right leg, extensive lesions and in the soft tissues. "
Interrogated notified the Public Prosecutor's event, was sent a ministerial agent and elements from the Medical Examiner (Semefo), to attest to the facts and the lifting of the body to that an autopsy of law to determine the actual cause of death, respectively.
In the prosecution was not known until the end of the issue if a complaint about it would rise from their families, for the Judicial Police started investigations.
Civil Protection received the report almost 17 ​​hours, so they sent inspectors to verify site conditions, finding in bodeguita a sort of pool where according filled cylinders for diving, and according to data issued by Lucio Alejandro Canul Andrade, director of the dependence, tanks have a certain lifespan, and owners are required to physically check them to make sure they are still in good condition.
Announced that Wednesday will go inspectors Civil Protection to see if they are certified and documents them allow filling scuba tanks on that site, if you do not have them proceed accordingly for the time suspended any activity there.

 

[Divegoose]

So sad. I met Juan during my trips to Scuba Club. Hard worker. Very nice person. Condolences to his family, and to the staff at Scuba Club.

Divegoose

 

[flots am]

Does anybody know if these tanks ever get VIP with an eddy current check?

I've only been diving on Coz maybe a dozen times, but have never seen a VIP/Eddy Current sticker or hydro stamp (except from the manufacturer).

flots.

 

[DBailey]

Does anybody know if these tanks ever get VIP with an eddy current check?

I've only been diving on Coz maybe a dozen times, but have never seen a VIP/Eddy Current sticker or hydro stamp (except from the manufacturer).

flots.

(Emphasis mine)

I know that the hydro stamp is a US/Canadian DOT regulation for pressurized cylinders. It isn't a scuba diving regulation. Does Mexico even have this testing requirement for pressurized cylinders?

 

[darushin]

"director of the dependence, tanks have a certain lifespan, and owners are required to physically check them to make sure they are still in good condition. "

That makes it sound like at the very least there is suppose to be some sort of visual inspection performed by the dive shop. How often, though is anyone's guess.

 

[Skittl1321]

Very sad.
Was this a preventable death, or just a freak accident?

 

[deeper thoughts]

so sad

 

[jlyle]

Juan leaves a wife and two children. A fund is being set up for contributions. I'll post when I have more information.

Scuba tanks at SCC are visually inspected annually and hydro-ed every five years. The hydro dates are stamped on the tanks - I've looked.

Explosion of a scuba tank is very, very rare. This was a freak accident that unfortunately took the life of a very nice young man.

 

[tech_diver]

Given that catastrophic failures of properly inspected and maintained cylinders is so rare, do we know that it was a cylinder that failed? Could it have been a fill station component like a filter housing or moisture separator?

I don't have any specific insight into this incident but tank failures are rare and the translation of the article is not very definitive.

 

[sharky60]

Hey all, Jen Pobiak, posted this on the Cozumel 4U Facebook page today ...

"I just wanted to take a moment to ask all of you to send your love and prayers out to the employees and families of Scuba Club who lost one of their own yesterday in a tank explosion. Many prayers for Juan Canché Koh and his family and friends. I am so sorry to hear of this tragic news. Descansa en paz. "

so sad to hear...

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Thread from Cozumel forum merged with older thread on the same topic. Marg, SB Senior Moderator

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