Firefighters received chemical burns at Elon Musk’s Boring Company construction site

Firefighters engaged in a safety drill at a construction site operated by The Boring Company in Las Vegas have reportedly sustained chemical burns due to substances used in tunnel excavation. A recent report from Fortune highlights that these Clark County firefighters were not adequately informed about the potential hazards, leading to permanent injuries. The Boring Company has been working on an ambitious project to create a network of underground tunnels in Las Vegas, aimed at providing transportation via Tesla vehicles. While this endeavor represents a scaled-back version of Elon Musk's broader vision for underground transit systems, it has faced ongoing safety issues and injuries since its launch. Just last September, the company paused operations after an employee incurred a severe “crushing injury.” According to previous reports, workers at The Boring Company have experienced similar chemical burns due to an accelerant used for solidifying concrete tunnel walls. In late 2024, the Clark County Fire Department (CCFD) began conducting emergency drills at these tunnels. However, it seems that firefighters were not informed about the risks of chemical burns from a muck mixture formed by groundwater, dirt, and the accelerant. Despite efforts by employees to clear the muck, residual pools remained, resulting in firefighters suffering irritations and burns. Following the incident, affected firefighters were treated at a local hospital for their injuries. The Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) subsequently launched an investigation. In response, The Boring Company attributed the issue to the firefighters’ lack of training, stating, “The key breakdowns in the Training Plan were committed by CCFD employees, not TBC employees.” In May, OSHA issued three serious citations to The Boring Company, which included proposed fines totaling $425,595. However, shortly after, Boring Company president Steve Davis, a close associate of Musk, contacted the Nevada Governor’s office. This led to an atypical meeting between high-ranking state officials and company representatives, raising eyebrows among former OSHA officials regarding the normal citation process. Ultimately, Nevada OSHA retracted the citations, although there were discrepancies in documentation related to this decision, which were later corrected after being highlighted by Fortune.