Triage and Evaluation of Blast-Injured Patients in Wenling Liquefied Petroleum Gas Tanker Explosion

Abstract

On June 13, 2020, a liquefied petroleum gas tanker exploded in Wenling. Here, we describe the mass casualty emergency response to the explosion. We collected the medical records of 176 inpatients at 8 hospitals from Taizhou and Hangzhou. The 176 inpatients with blast injuries comprised 70 females and 106 males, with an average age of 45.48 ± 19.96 years, and more than half of the patients were farmers. They were transported to 6 hospitals distributed around the explosion site in Taizhou in the initial rescue period and were grouped according to their new injury severity score as having mild, moderate, severe, or extremely severe injuries. Most patients with severe and extremely severe injuries were admitted to a superior hospital post-secondary triage. 44 patients experienced primary blast injuries, 137 experienced secondary blast injuries, 37 experienced tertiary blast injuries, and 40 patients experienced quaternary blast injuries. Multiple blast injuries were suffered by 62 patients. Most patients (95.45%) suffered external injuries, with the chest, extremities, and face as the main affected areas. Burns were diagnosed in 26 adults, of which 15.38%, 19.23%, 7.70%, and 57.69% suffered mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe cases. 16 burn patients suffered from burn-blast injuries. Upper limbs and the head/face/neck area, as exposed areas, were more likely to experience a burn injury. Inhalation was the main accompanying injury. Of the 8 patients who died in the prehospital session, 7 had burn injuries. This report on the accident and injury characteristics of an open-air LPG-related explosion will facilitate responses to subsequent catastrophes.