Safety codes not followed in Bray plant flash fire - KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo -

Safety codes not followed in Bray plant flash fire

BRAY, Okla. - New information about the accident at a Bray metal recycling plant Thursday afternoon. The state fire marshal was at the Eagle Iron and Metal Plant Friday and said they are no longer calling what happened an explosion, but instead have ruled it a flash fire.

As for the two men severely burned, officials tell 7NEWS Ricky Faust, who was medi-flighted to Oklahoma City, suffered third-degree burns to over 50 percent of his body and is listed in critical, but stable, condition.

Faron Pierce, who was medi-flighted to a burn center in Dallas, suffered third-degree burns to over 40 percent of his body. He is also listed in critical, but stable, condition. The men were injured when a tank they were working on ignited.

Friday, the plant was closed, but officials say they did not order it to be shut down. The operators closed it on their own.

Former plant employee Gene Gibson was friends with both men.

"They were the best guys I'd ever been with, they'd give ya the shirt off their back, they show up early for work and they'd work late," Gibson said.

Gibson worked at Eagle Iron and Metal for nearly ten years. He still has his work shirts, but just a month ago, he was fired. He says it was the best thing that ever happened to him. "You get thinking about stuff, and I'm too old to be busted up like that."

Gibson says safety conditions were awful, and rarely enforced.

7NEWS caught up with State Fire Investigator Judah Sheppard and asked him about that. He said when Thursday's flash fire broke out, safety codes were not being followed.

"The gloves were not on, the hard hats were out there, one of the injured persons was wearing a hard helmet, the other was not," said Sheppard.

Gibson says he's put his years of work at Eagle Iron behind him, and just hopes his friends will be able to too.

"I hope my friends get better, they are up there fighting for their life, one's in Dallas, the other in Oklahoma City, I called the hospital and they haven't got a real good chance, but I hope the Lord is with them," said Gibson. 

7NEWS called both owners of Eagle Iron and Metal to ask them about the possible safety code problems. One didn't answer the phone or return the call. The other said he did not want to comment at this time. 

OSHA has officially opened a case file. They were also at the plant Friday morning conducting their own investigation.