Freak Oil Drum Explosion Leaves Every Bone In His Face Shattered

He went to work like he did every day, and used the tools provided to perform his job. Little did he know that the cutter he was using to open oil drums would cause an explosion. The blast was so severe that he was left with every bone in his face shattered.

#1 A Disastrous Day At Work

Welder Andrew Foster, 40, of Sheerness in Kent, lost his sight and memory and still has no idea what happened to him four years ago while at work.

#2 Highway Care Employee

Mr. Foster worked for Highway Care Ltd in Kent, a company that works on public roads throughout the UK and installs barrier guards, road safety signs, and road closure equipment. He had been an employee since 2007.

#3 Fumes Caused An Explosion

He was asked to remove the lid from an oil drum after it had been cleaned by an apprentice. However, the new worker had left oil in the bottom of the drum, and when Mr. Foster cut into the 45-gallon container with his cutting tool, which was not meant to be used for that purpose, the fumes ignited from the friction and caused an explosion.

#4 Rushed To The Hospital

The father of two was taken to Kings College Hospital, where his wife Donna, 38, was told the next 24 hours were crucial to his survival. He was put into an induced coma and the family was told that he may not survive, as his entire face was crushed. Doctors had no idea how extensive the injuries were at the time.

#5 Blind And Speechless

The former rugby instructor and coach is now blind and can barely speak. After extensive surgeries to reconstruct his facial features, he is trying to live his life as normally as he possibly can, but has a caretaker with him every day. He spends the majority of his time bedridden.

#6 Total Devastation

The full extent of Andrew's injuries was devastating. His face had been split open and every bone shattered. His right eye had been severed in half by the force of the oil drum lid and his left was welded shut. Andrew can now only see the difference between light and dark, uses a cane to walk and can only walk more than 25 feet with the help of a caretaker.

#7 Over 36 Surgeries

He has undergone 3 dozen different surgical operations to help restore his face, vision, and nasal passages. One of the operations to help him regain his breathing has rendered him without the ability to speak, but doctors are hopeful that will return in the future. He has no memory of the accident at all and has just recently begun to recall small slivers of the explosion with the hep of a therapist.

#8 Company Fined And Facing Law Suit

Mr. Foster is pursuing a civil case against the company for compensation and medical expenses for his 2012 accident. However, the government has slapped the company, Highway Care Ltd with a Â£660,000 fine after a manager admitted breaching health and safety laws to get the jobs done faster and cheaper.

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