Student who lost hand in gas explosion sues university

  • 23/01/2017
The aftermath of the explosion which took Thea Ekins-Coward's hand (Honolulu Fire Department)
The aftermath of the explosion which took Thea Ekins-Coward's hand (Honolulu Fire Department)

A student who lost her right hand in a chemical explosion is suing her university, claiming it didn't provide her with proper safety training.

Photographs from inside the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute lab where post-doctoral fellow Thea Ekins-Coward nearly lost her life show a gruesome scene.

(Honolulu Fire Department)
(Honolulu Fire Department)

Parts of the lab's walls are crumbling, there's scientific equipment scattered around and blood is everywhere.

Dr Ekins-Coward was mixing hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen when it's believed static electricity from a digital pressure gauge ignited the flammable concoction.

The accident happened in March 2016. An investigation found at the time of the explosion, the container held 55 percent hydrogen, 38 percent oxygen and 7 percent carbon dioxide. The force of the blast was equivalent to 70 grams of TNT.

(Honolulu Fire Department)
(Honolulu Fire Department)

She not only lost her hand, but suffered burns to the face, nerve damage to her ears and abrasions to her cornea (eye).

The UK citizen has now filed a suit in a Honolulu court, alleging the university didn't give her proper safety training. She also claims the university instructed her to use the tanks, which weren't designed for flammable gases and weren't grounded.

"Since 2008, when the project began, the process has been used almost daily and without incident," Brian Taylor, dean of the School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology, said the day after the accident.

(Honolulu Fire Department)
(Honolulu Fire Department)

The university is yet to comment on the matter, saying it has yet to see the lawsuit.

The explosion did about US$800,000 worth of damage to the university's infrastructure and equipment.

Newshub.