Burn victim recounts day of horror

``Everything I had I lost in a split second.'' Charlie Morecraft, speaking about burns he suffered in a refinery fire

Bert Caldwell - Staff writer

Spokane _ A former refinery worker's harrowing story of his recovery from burns suffered in a fire he started brought 2,000 conference delegates to their feet twice Wednesday.

Charlie Morecraft was the keynote speaker at the 49th Governor's Industrial Safety and Health Conference at Spokane Center. The meeting and trade show concludes today.

Morecraft described himself as a blue collar worker with a typical attitude about safety: "Accidents don't happen to me. Accidents happen to the other guy."

A 27-year Exxon employee, Morecraft said he held almost every refinery job. He said he always sat in the back of the room during safety presentations, his sunglasses on, uncaring.

In August 1980, Morecraft was performing a routine task involving a pipeline carrying an octane-boosting chemical. He was not wearing safety glasses. The sleeves on his fire-retardant suit were -- against regulations -- rolled up.

Morecraft, defying procedures, caused a leak. His clothes were soaked, his eyes temporarily blinded by the chemical.

As he ran, he realized he'd left his truck running -- against regulations. A spark from the vehicle touched off the leaking vapors.

On fire from head to toe, he doused himself in a puddle.

"Thank God, it was water," Morecraft said.

He said he knew members of the ambulance crew that came to his rescue. One wept as they drove to the hospital.

Morecraft then realized how severely he was burned. Then the pain came. Pain beyond anything drugs could subdue. Screaming pain.

Morecraft said doctors cut his arms open from shoulders to wrists to relieve the pressure on his arteries. Because he had taken so many pain killing drugs, they could not use any anesthetic.

Next Morecraft was taken to a burn center and immersed in a tank of water, Clorox and drugs. The pain was excruciating. Eleven other burn victims were in other tanks in the room with him, all screaming. Only three lived.

His mother, the first family member to arrive at the hospital, did not recognize him. "Thank God, that's not my son," she said. But it was.

His father, after telling him to "Hang in there," had a heart attack in the parking lot, and died soon after.

Morecraft said he had to endure the tank treatments for two months as his burned flesh was removed, along with healthy tissue, nerve endings and sweat glands.

He was burned over 45 percent of his body, in some places to the bone. The force of the blast had shredded much of his protective suit.

He was in the hospital for five years. He endured more than 40 operations. Cost to Exxon: $1.7 million.

When he returned to work at the company, Morecraft noted, he was put in charge of plant safety.

"You blow up a refinery, they put you in charge of safety," he said, laughing.

But Morecraft said he was bitter, blaming everybody but himself for the accident. A breakthrough came when three co-workers spurned his reminder to put on safety helmets.

He ordered them to sit down, and then recounted the story of his accident. As they left the room -- helmets on -- one turned and said, "Hey Charlie, you ought to tell everybody that story."

For the past five years, he has.

Morecraft appealed to audience members to embrace safety, if not for themselves, then for their families. His biggest regret, he said, are the years he lost with his adolescent daughters and the psychological damage his accident caused them.

"Everything I had I lost in a split second," said Morecroft, who now has assumed all blame for the accident.

Aong those in the audience were about 20 students from Columbia High School near Hunters, Wash.

The students said they appreciated his message and evangelical enthusiasm.

"He didn't bring you down," said Chaz Keedy, noting Morecraft's humor.

"You don't want to turn out like him," added Jessica Linder. "Wear your safety stuff."

Most of the students indicated they had been in one minor accident or another. A few confessed they were casual about wearing safety gear in shop class.

Nathan McCartney said he would bring Morecraft's message home to his father, a welder.

"I don't want him to lose his life," he said.