Two men were injured in an explosion at a workshop.

The pair were taken to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, following the blast at 4.20pm yesterday at Eastern Petroleum Services in Station Road, Southminster.

Paramedics said one of the victims, a 55-year-old from Chelmsford, was welding beside an old oil drum when vapours inside it exploded, blowing him backwards across the room and leaving him with serious burns to both forearms.

He was taken to Broomfield's burns unit in the Essex Air Ambulance. The second man, a 58-year-old from Tolleshunt Major, sustained burns to his left forearm.

Published Wednesday, September 1, 2004

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