Welder, 24, killed in tragic accident after oil tank explodes

A MAN was killed yesterday when an oil tank exploded at a company in Co Cork.

Casey Whyte, 24, is understood to have been welding the interior of the oil tank when it exploded, killing him instantly.

The tragedy happened at Robert Fitzgerald’s, a company which specialises in servicing and refitting commercial fuel tanks. Gardaí were contacted shortly after the accident happened at 10.15am at the company, which is based at Carrigshane, two miles east of Midleton.

The body of Mr Whyte, who lived at Seafield Estate, Youghal, was removed by ambulance to Midleton district hospital and then taken to the Cork City Morgue where a post mortem was carried out.

A garda spokesman said early indications showed that Mr Whyte, a single man, had just commenced welding the inside of an oil tank when the explosion happened. It is believed it may have been caused when gas residue ignited in the interior.

“Two inner chambers in the oil tank exploded and Mr Whyte died instantly,” a garda spokesman said.

Youghal Mayor Cllr Sean Ring said the tragedy had cast a great gloom over the whole town, especially as it had come just a few weeks after the death of 15-year-old Pat Daly who was killed when the jet ski he was driving was involved in a collision with a speed boat in the local harbour.

“Casey Whyte came from a very popular and well-known family. It’s a terrible, terrible tragedy,” the mayor said.

He said it was the second tragedy the family had suffered in recent times, as last February Casey’s mother, Anne, had died from cancer.

The mayor said that he wanted to extend his sincere sympathy to Casey’s father, Michael, a former employee at the town’s Blackwater Cotton company, and to Casey’s brothers and sister.

A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Authority said that inspectors were investigating the tragedy.

A garda spokesman said they had ruled out foul play.