NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY

PARTIALLY BURIED BY COAL IN COAL HOPPER

EMPLOYEES #1 AND 2 WERE IN A COAL BUNKER, STANDING ATOP THE COAL, CHIPPING BUILD -UP FROM THE WALLS. THEY WERE NOT USING BODY HARNESSES AND LIFELINES. UNAWARE TH AT THE DISCHARGE PIPE HAD BEEN EMPTIED BELOW THEM, THEY REQUESTED THAT THEIR HEL PER (WATCHING FROM THE TOP OF THE BIN) CALL THE VALVE CONTROLLER BY RADIO AND HA VE HIM OPEN THE DISCHARGE VALVE (GATE). THE CONTROLLER, AS REQUESTED, OPENED THE GATE, UNAWARE THAT THERE WERE TWO MEN IN THE BIN. WHEN THE VALVE OPENED, THE CO AL BEGAN TO SLIDE OUT RAPIDLY, CAUSING THE TWO MEN TO BEGIN TO SINK INTO THE COA L. THE WATCHMAN (HELPER) IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE CONTROLLER TO HAVE THE VALVE REC LOSED. ONE MAN WAS SUBMERGED TO HIS WAIST WHEN THE FLOW WAS STOPPED. THE OTHER W AS COVERED UP TO HIS FACE. THE OUTSIDE WATCHMAN, ALSO WITHOUT HARNESS OR LIFELIN E, IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED THE LADDER TO RESCUE THE OTHER TWO EMPLOYEES. AFTER RES CUE, EMPLOYEES #1 AND 2 WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, TREATED BRIEFLY, AND RELEASE D.