Worker killed by CO2 fracturing tube explosion during wind project work in China
2026Published 13 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
Get the next one by email
Free alerts on wind (onshore) incidents in China, and an email when EIR-2886 is updated. No account needed; unsubscribe in one click.
Confirm your email and every wind turbine incident on the register arrives at once as a spreadsheet (CSV), free.
Get a free sample brief Three complete verified records and the incidents-per-GW table, by email within a minute.
We will also email you about the register's paid records and plans, at most once a week and three times in all. You can stop these at any time. By signing up you agree to the privacy policy.
What happened
A worker died after a carbon dioxide fracturing tube exploded in Karo District, eastern Tibet, China. The incident happened in April, during excavation for a tower foundation on a transmission line serving a 100MW wind project. Crews were using CO2 fracturing tubes to break rock for turbine foundations, and at least one tube had failed to fire. The worker began clearing the shattered rock with a pneumatic pick without making the unfired tube safe.
When the pick struck the tube, it exploded. Colleagues gave first aid, including chest compressions, while seeking help from the local health centre. The work site is 30 minutes from the road and a two-hour drive from the nearest hospital. Medics from the health centre arrived later and pronounced the worker dead. An accident report published in late October by a local government accident investigation team found that safety rules had not been followed. The year is as reported in the 2026 article.
Contributing factors
According to the report, the construction company did not follow its construction plan, did not obtain approval for the high-risk work, and set up no cordon or dedicated monitor. It used old detonators without voltage and resistance displays, which made misfires more likely. The report states the worker's action violated operating procedures and that the violation was not stopped or corrected in time. Workers did not know whether any misfires existed, and safety training was substandard. The report noted that the construction company had safety rules and systems in place.
Lessons learned
- Make every failed or unfired explosive charge safe, and confirm its status, before any excavation or clearance begins near it.
- Do not allow high-risk blasting or charge-related work to proceed without formal approval, a cordon and a dedicated monitor.
- Replace legacy detonators that lack voltage and resistance checks, and verify firing circuits before use.
- Train workers in misfire procedures and make sure anyone can stop work when a procedural violation is seen.
More lessons on detection and monitoring, maintenance, inspection and ageing assets, worker safety and safe systems of work, from every incident on the register.
Published 2026-11-13. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
