Students injured when open barrel explodes

OLIVIA (AP) -- An open barrel with about an inch of a flammable liquid burst into flames in an ag shop at BOLD High School on Friday, injuring six students, including two who were hospitalized.

One student, Josh Neutgens, was airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where he was in satisfactory condition Friday night.

Neutgens' clothes caught fire when the flames shot up. BOLD Superintendent Roger Schmidt said he quickly stopped, dropped and rolled, squelching the flames.

A second injured student, Brian Athmann, was being held overnight at the Renville County Hospital in Olivia.

Both Neutgens and Athmann were being monitored to determine whether they suffered any respiratory damage, Schmidt said. The students suffered some skin burns, which appeared to be like a bad sunburn, he added.

The other four students were treated and released from the Renville County Hospital and returned to class.

''The only thing I really remember is a big bang and a fire ball,'' Athmann told the West Central Tribune of Willmar. ''The next thing I remember is seeing Josh rolling around on the ground.''

Firefighters put out a small fire.

It is suspected that a spark landed in a barrel with used oil inside and caused the explosion. A student was cutting a piece of pipe when the explosion occurred.

Schmidt said the room's fire safety sprinkler system triggered, and the school's alarm system immediately sounded. Students evacuated the high school for about 45 minutes.

BOLD is a consolidated school district in western Minnesota joining the former districts of Bird Island, Olivia and Lake Lillian.