Firefighters conducting safety training at one of The Boring Company’s construction sites in Las Vegas suffered burns from chemicals used in the tunneling process, according to a new report in Fortune magazine.
Clark County firefighters were not previously advised of the potential danger, but they suffered permanent scarring, the report said. Employees working in The Boring Company’s tunnels suffered similar chemical burns.
The Boring Company has been digging tunnels in Las Vegas for several years in an attempt to connect the entire city with an underground network that uses Teslas to move people. This is the first effort to create a watered-down version of Elon Musk’s dream of building underground transportation, which previously included fanciful ideas like the Hyperloop and larger means of people transportation.
But the project has been plagued by safety concerns and injuries since its inception. In September, the company temporarily suspended operations after a worker suffered a “serious injury.”
Fortune magazine’s Jessica Matthews previously reported that for years, Boring Company employees have been burned by chemicals that are accelerators used by the company to harden concrete tunnel walls.
In late 2024, the Clark County Fire Department (CCFD) began conducting emergency rescue training in tunnels. But firefighters apparently did not learn about the potential for incineration by chemicals that mix with groundwater and soil to form mud pools during preparatory work prior to training.
Employees reportedly tried to remove the mud before the drill, but were unable to remove it all. Firefighters reported that his feet were inflamed due to his “boots being full of mud” and he was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for chemical burns. The Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation.
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The Boring Company blamed the firefighters. “The major failures in the training program were committed by CCFD employees, not TBC employees,” The Boring Company’s attorneys wrote to Nevada OSHA.
In May, Nevada OSHA also issued three “willful” citations (the most serious level) to The Boring Company over the incident and proposed a $425,595 fine.
The same day, Steve Davis, president of the Boring Company and one of Mr. Musk’s top lieutenants and one of the leaders of the billionaire’s Office of Government Efficiency, called the Nevada governor’s office. Records show he spoke with the governor’s state infrastructure director, a former Tesla employee. The next day, Nevada officials met with representatives from Davis and Boring.
Former OSHA officials told Fortune that the meeting was a highly unusual break from the normal citation and appeals process. Nevertheless, Nevada OSHA withdrew the citation.
Additionally, Nevada OSHA did not properly document the removal of the citation. This is what a state agency representative confirmed to Fortune magazine. Documents in the case file were then altered to remove evidence of meetings between The Boring Company executives and the governor’s office. The meeting information was re-added after Fortune noted the change.
