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Keator was killed when petroleum vapors exploded while he was cleaning a tank trailer. The spark that led to the explosion was produced when an unprotected bulb from a trouble light hanging near the tank's opening was struck by a stream of water from a high pressure washer Kator was using to clean the tank. The tank had not been properly ventilated to release the flammable vapors.
Attorney General Robert Abrams
Fire/ Explosion
Onondaga
New York
October 4, 1988
Unavailable
| First | Last | Age | Title | Employer | Injury Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam | Keator | 26 | Unavailable | Domermuth Environmental Services | Fatality |
| Name | Type | Title | Plea Information | Conviction Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Roth | Individual | District Manager | Unavailable | County Court and Appellate Division dismissed the homicide charges, reckless endangerment charge, and endangering public health, safety, or the environmnet charges on grounds that the evidence before the Grand Jury was insufficient because it did not establish the actual triggering cause of the explosion. The NY Court of Appeals reinstated the reckless endangerment charge. |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Second Degree Manslaughter; Criminally Negligent Homicide; Reckless Endangerment; Second Degree Endangering Public Health, Safety, or the Environment |
Other Crimes Charged
Hazardous Waste violations (unspecified); Zoning violations (unspecified) |
|||
| Lance Wilson | Individual | Operations Manager of Facility | Unavailable | County Court and Appellate Division dismissed the homicide charges, reckless endangerment charge, and endangering public health, safety, or the environmnet charges on grounds that the evidence before the Grand Jury was insufficient because it did not establish the actual triggering cause of the explosion. The NY Court of Appeals reinstated the reckless endangerment charge. |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Second Degree Manslaughter; Criminally Negligent Homicide; Reckless Endangerment; Second Degree Endangering Public Health, Safety, or the Environment |
Other Crimes Charged
Hazardous Waste violations (unspecified); Zoning violations (unspecified) |
|||
| James Domermuth | Individual | President | Unavailable | Charges dismissed. |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Unavailable |
Other Crimes Charged
Hazardous Waste violations (unspecified); Zoning violations (unspecified) |
|||
| Domermuth Petroleum Equipment and Maintenance (dba Dormermuth Environmental Services) | Entity | Entity | Unavailable | County Court and Appellate Division dismissed the homicide charges, reckless endangerment charge, and endangering public health, safety, or the environmnet charges on grounds that the evidence before the Grand Jury was insufficient because it did not establish the actual triggering cause of the explosion. The NY Court of Appeals reinstated the reckless endangerment charge. |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Second Degree Manslaughter; Criminally Negligent Homicide; Reckless Endangerment; Second Degree Endangering Public Health, Safety, or the Environment |
Other Crimes Charged
Hazardous Waste violations (unspecified); Zoning violations (unspecified) |
|||