O’BRIEN, Fla. — An explosion Wednesday morning at Suwannee Iron Works and Fence caused one fatality.

According to Public Safety Director James Sommers, with Suwannee County Fire Rescue, a call was received around 7:20 a.m. about an explosion at the facility.

Summers said the welding shop foreman was moving a gas cylinder either from a truck to the rack or from the rack to a truck.

The cylinder either a defect in it or was dropped and it exploded, catching 32-year-old Andrew James Reynolds in the blast.

He suffered extensive injuries and died immediately.

He leaves behind a wife and two children according to the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office.

“The bottom of the tank blew off,” Suwannee County Sheriff Sam St. John said.

According to St. John, another worker was present, about 40-50 feet away but was not injured in the explosion.

Sommers said SCFR crews from Stations 3 and 43 responded and after finding the fatality, they went into Hazmat response to check the air quality.

According to Sommers, there were an additional 50 gas cylinders in the welding shop and officials were concerned about possible damage to those tanks. With help from the state fire marshal, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Florida Department of Transportation, those cylinders were checked and none were damaged.

“Naturally we don’t want this to happen any more out there,” St. John said Wednesday morning as officials were conducting the investigation.

Suwannee Iron Works makes and installs steel framing for commercial structures as well as installing chain link, wrought iron, PVC and wood fences.