Kansas man killed, stepson critically injured in oil tank explosion, sheriff says

A 57-year-old Kansas man was killed and his 26-year-old stepson critically injured while welding an oil tank, according to Harper County Sheriff Tracy Chance.

First responders were called to the explosion around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in rural Harper County, about seven miles north of Attica. Charles Weber of Bushton died at the scene. Weber’s stepson was found with critical injuries, Chance said. He was taken to the Patterson Health Center before being brought to Ascension Via Christi in Wichita.

Chance said it was a “flash explosion” from a gas buildup. Weber was inside of the tank and the stepson was outside when the explosion happened, he said. He said the men were working for a company that was hired to work on the gas tank. He said they were working on a heater treater, which uses heat to separate oil from water.