Late last week, four workers were injured at Campbell University when a gas grill exploded at J.P. Riddle Stadium in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The commercial sized grill exploded when one worker tried to light it and ignited fumes. Initial investigations have revealed that the explosion occurred as a result of the build-up of propane vapors caused by a leak in the propane line inside the stadium. While investigators are unsure at this time what caused the leak, they do not feel that foul play was involved. The Fayetteville Fire and Emergency Management Department arrived at the scene to shut off the gas lines to the stadium and spent many hours clearing the gas fumes from the area. Authorities say that the damage to the stadium is minimal.
Among the injured was Jonathan Davidson, a recent graduate of Campbell University. He is working as a summer intern for the Fayetteville SwampDogs, a baseball team that plays its games at the stadium. Davidson was walking into the concession area with another intern to pass along a message from the stadium’s propane company when the explosion occurred. Davidson suffered second degree burns on his legs as a result of the incident. His father told the local news, “It happened so quickly. It was just crazy. It was like something you see in the movies, but you don’t really understand it.”
Another injured was Darrell Handelsman, the owner and manager of the Fayetteville SwampDogs. The team held their home opener last night, nearly a week after the explosion. Unfortunately, Handelsman was unable to make the home opener for the first time in 18 seasons, as he remains in the hospital, due to complications with his treatment.