odd sort of bug

[englishfreak]

Just bought the game last night, so pardon me if I sound like an idiot...

Everything was going along just fine until I went onto the little caves where there are steam pipes and the sounds of spiders. I got to the storage room down there and busted the lock on the door with my hammer. A little bit later a steam pipe killed me. When I re-enetered the game, I no longer had my hammer, the lock was back on the storage room door, and I have no way of getting my hammer back.

Anyone have any thoughts? Or, do I just get the pleasure of starting over completely?