On July 11, 1996 a member of the Roxbury Township, Morris County, Fire Department, Firefighter Paul Label, age 29, was in the process of recharging an aluminum 2216 psi SCBA cylinder from the department’s cascade system at about 2038 hours, when it failed catastrophically resulting in serious injuries to Mr. Label.
On October 8, 1996 a similar failure of an aluminum 2216 psi SCBA cylinder resulted in injuries to Firefighter Eric Jensen, age 23 of the Neshanic Volunteer Fire Company of Branchburg Township, Somerset County. In this case as with the Roxbury incident, Jensen was in the process of recharging the cylinder from the department’s cascade system at about 1930 hours, when it failed catastrophically.