By John Hollenhorst
The Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — A burst water pipe at the University of Utah campus injured 12 people Monday, three critically.
A high-pressure pipe carrying water heated to 380 degrees burst in an underground vault where a construction crew was working at 1850 E. 300 South, just north of the Huntsman Center, around 11 a.m. Monday, Salt Lake Fire Capt. Michael Harp said.
The 12 workers that suffered injuries were transported to area hospitals — seven patients were sent to University Hospital and five were transported to Salt Lake Regional Medical Center.
Nine of those injured were listed in stable condition and three were in critical condition with severe inhalation injuries from the steam.
No names of the victims were released.
Harp said the men were working in one of many “network of tunnels” that run from the university’s main generator to heat the buildings on campus.
“There were several construction workers that were working in a below-grade vault that were injured by the failure of a pipe that contained high temperature water resulting in steam, basically, that went throughout the vault and resulted in injuries,” he said.
Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are working with officials from the Salt Lake Fire Department to see what caused the steam to surge.
They do not believe there was any sort of explosion or overload.
The accident took place at a secure site that was fenced off.
Harp said those who were injured were transported to the hospital within five minutes.
A search was conducted through the area to ensure there weren’t additional victims.
Fire crews shut off the water line and ventilated the vault.
The men were all employees of subcontractors who were hired by Layton Construction, U. spokesman Remi Barron said.
He said they were working on a project to upgrade the pipes in an effort to more efficiently heat the buildings on campus.
“We believe it will be fixed rather quickly,” he said. “We’ve had breakages before and they’re repaired rather quickly, so we’re optimistic.”
He said the accident didn’t affect heat to the buildings on campus Monday, but he expressed “deep concern” for those who were injured.
Copyright 2010 The Deseret News Publishing Co.