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Roofer burned when tar spills

Deputies think the worker stumbled while carrying a bucket of tar that was likely hotter than 300 degrees.

By JACOB H. FRIES
Published August 11, 2006

CLEARWATER - A 50-year-old man tarring the roof of a one-story building was severely burned Thursday when he apparently stumbled and spilled hot tar on about 20 percent of his body, authorities said.

The man, whose name was not released, was flown by helicopter to Tampa General Hospital. His condition was not available.

The incident occurred about 10:50 a.m. at an empty commercial building at 1100 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., just north of Palmetto Street, Clearwater Fire Marshal Steve Strong said.

The man was handling a 5-gallon bucket of tar that was likely hotter than 300 degrees and carried it up a ladder to the roof, where two other men were working, Strong said. The man then apparently stumbled and fell into the spilled tar.

After the incident, Strong said he decided to close the work site until the Occupational Safety and Health Administration could investigate.

Statewide Roof Coating had obtained a city permit for the roof work, but Strong said none of the workers appeared qualified to use a tar kettle, which can reach 1,000 degrees. The workers also did not have a fire extinguisher on the scene, as required.

The two workers declined to speak with a reporter after the incident, and it was unknown Thursday whether they worked for Statewide or a subcontractor.

A call to the company's message service was not returned.

[Last modified August 10, 2006, 22:46:37]