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Wednesday night explosion injures two
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A medical helicopter with an injured worker takes off from the parking lot of Our Fathers House near the site of an explosion Wednesday night on Easy Street off Ga. 53 just west of Ga. 400 in Dawson County. - photo by Jim Dean DCN regional staff

Two Dawson County workers were injured Wednesday night after an explosion at a propane tank refurbishment company on Easy Street off Ga. 53 just west of Ga. 400.

A tractor-trailer carrying 18 to 20 residential-sized propane tanks was being unloaded when the incident occurred, Deputy Chief Tim Satterfield of the Dawson County Emergency Services said.

A boom truck was offloading tanks in stacks of three when the foot of one tank caught on another tank. The tanks flipped and during the tumble a valve sheared off, releasing a cloud of propane. The cloud found an ignition source and a flash fire ensued, causing an explosion.

Three workers were directly involved with the incident.

"One worker suffered second and third degree burns across 70 percent of his body while another was burned across 40 to 50 percent of his body, also second and third degree," said Satterfield. "The third worker was unharmed."

The tractor-trailer carrying the tanks also suffered minor damages, the chassis and tires catching fire during the explosion.

Dawson and Forsyth emergency services were on the scene with units and the Forsyth County hazardous materials team was called. Emergency services put out the fire and returned the property to its owners.