Callahan & Blaine

Mike Walker, the fifty-five year old co-owner of the Pro Nitrous drag racing team was killed in a freak accident when he was hit in the chest with an exploding nitrous oxide tank during a race at the South Georgia Motorsports Park.

Apparently, the drag racing team uses nitrous oxide tanks to boost their vehicles’ speed during the race. The canisters, which resemble a SCUBA tank, are kept in a warmer in the pit for easy access by the pit crew during the race.

One of the tanks in the warmer was apparently faulty, causing it to explode, shooting pieces straight up into the air. A witness to the accident described the exploding tank as a “bottle rocket.”

It was a piece of the tank that struck Walker in the chest, leaving a large gash. He was rushed to the local hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Thankfully, no one else in the crowd was injured despite larger than usual attendance at the event.

Investigators have found no evidence of foul play, and are blaming a fault in the canister for the explosion.

At Callahan & Blaine, California’s premier litigation firm, our attorneys are practiced at negotiating and litigating complex personal injury cases like this one. Our firm recently negotiated a $28 million settlement in a similar personal injury case, where a man was left blind and brain damaged as a result of an accident caused by negligent maintenance practices by a trucking company.

In catastrophic personal injury cases, the attorneys at Callahan & Blaine use their 25 years of experience to accomplish record breaking jury verdicts and settlements. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in an accident at work or on the road, contact Callahan & Blaine for expert personal injury representation.