A worker sustained third-degree burns Wednesday, July 15, after a 55-gallon drum exploded at Green Acres Foundation on Spooky Hollow Road in Indian Hill, just across the border from Montgomery.

Madeira-Indian Hill Fire Chief Stephen Oughterson confirmed that crews responded to 8375 Spooky Hollow Road around 8:30 a.m. after a report of an explosion. Oughterson said crews found a person with severe burns but did not publicly state the cause.

According to fire department radio traffic and 911 calls obtained by FOX19 NOW, the worker was using a plasma cutter to remove the top of a 55-gallon drum that had previously contained paint. The drum exploded.

"There was an explosion in our shop," a man at the foundation told a 911 dispatcher at 9:27 a.m.

Moments later, a second person at the scene determined the victim was still alive. Crews transported him to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. An incident detail report indicates he sustained third-degree burns to his face and neck. His condition has not been publicly updated.

The exact contents of the drum in the Indian Hill incident have not been confirmed by investigators.

The Ohio State Fire Marshal's Fire and Explosion Investigations Bureau is handling the investigation. No timeline for findings has been announced. Anyone with information can contact the Fire Marshal at 614-752-7190.

Green Acres Foundation, a nonprofit focused on conservation, agriculture, and education, declined to comment. The foundation's main campus sits at 8300 Spooky Hollow Road; the incident occurred at 8375 Spooky Hollow Road.

Similar incidents have killed workers

Federal workplace safety records document the danger of cutting into drums believed to be empty. OSHA investigated at least two similar incidents in recent years: a May 2019 case in which a worker using a plasma cutter on a drum that had held windshield wiper fluid suffered third-degree burns and facial fractures, and a November 2024 case in which a worker died after a drum exploded during plasma cutting. In both cases, trace flammable residue inside the drums ignited.

The exact contents of the drum in the Indian Hill incident have not been confirmed by investigators.