Jacksonville, FL — Two people were injured in an explosion and the ensuing fire at the Rainbow Muffler Shop in Jacksonville, Florida, on Tuesday, April 14, 2015. The accident took place in the 5300 block of Philips Highway, around 4:30 in the afternoon.
Authorities say that the accident took place when a fuel tank was being removed from a vehicle to have some repair work done to it. A spark ignited a flammable liquid and exploded, which set the entire store ablaze.
Firefighters called in to held fight the blaze had things under control in about half an hour.
The son of the shop owner suffered second degree burns and was taken to University of Florida Health in Gainesville. The other victim was a woman who had just brought her vehicle into the shop. She was quickly treated and released from the hospital.
Scene of the Accident
View from the Road
Commentary
Accidents like this are typically handled through an employer’s workers’ comp policy. As most know, workers’ comp will pay out benefits to those injured in an on-the-job accident. However, one of the drawbacks of the system is that it bars an employee from filings a claim against their employer whenever a work accident happens. However, that protection is not given to any third party that may have been involved in the accident. If a third party is found to have contributed to an accident in any way — as is the case when an accident is caused by a piece of defective machinery — then the victim is able to bring a claim against them and receive compensation. It’s important to note that the victim is still eligible for workers’ comp benefits, even if a third party is involved, as the accident still happened while the victim was on the job.
— Grossman Law Offices
