Cesspool Workers Receive Facial Burns from St. James Explosion

Two cesspool workers were hospitalized with facial burns from an explosion at a St. James home Friday night.

Liam Carroll, third assistant chief of the St. James Fire District, said firefighters responded to a call at 6:24 p.m. of two workers being injured from an explosion from digging outside the 309 Cambon Avenue home to access the cesspool. Carroll said an unknown chemical was poured into a drain inside the home and when the workers' were digging towards a pipe it created a spark that led to the explosion. 

Carroll said he did not know the extent of the facial burns but said when he saw the workers the burns appeared to be "pretty severe."

The workers were taken to Stony Brook University Medical Center.