The power of Propane

**Midnightmoon** · 01-31-2019, 01:21 PM

I wasn't sure if I should have posted this in General RV chat or over in Campfire chat. Moderators please feel free to move if it is in the wrong section.

There was an incident on I-70 just a mile or so from where I work this morning that serves as a stark reminder of the power and potential dangers of propane. I don't want to ignite that old "travel with propane on or off" debate, but it's incidents like this that just serve as a reminder of why safety with propane is so important.

Make sure to watch the video in the following news link.

https://triblive.com/local/westmorel...ollowing-crash

wags999 · 01-31-2019, 01:51 PM

As the Trooper said, "in 17 years he has never seen anything like this". Accidents happen but propane explosions are rare, rarer than fuel explosions.

**Midnightmoon** · 01-31-2019, 02:33 PM

As rare as they are, it is amazing to see what can happen when it does occur. I can't believe the bow that it put in that trailer frame.

Jagiven · 01-31-2019, 02:37 PM

I can believe it, I have a good freind that is cop and a volunteer fire fighter. He used to work undercover in narcotics. He told me never, to use tank exchanges. He stated the drug makers use propane tanks to make the drugs, with nasty chemicals, that weaken the wall, from the inside out. There is are other reasons why too, but that will be for another day.

Semix-Hex · 01-31-2019, 02:43 PM

I was on a forest fire that had a large, very old hidden propane tank that was partly full. It did explode injuring several. We were really surprised since it was in the middle nowhere (or so it seemed).

NorCal Eagle · 01-31-2019, 02:48 PM

I'm seeing tanks of all sizes in that video, I wonder what size was the one that exploded?

**Midnightmoon** · 01-31-2019, 04:13 PM

It happened real close to my work and I know several of the firefighters and troopers who would have been there today. I'll ask them if they were able to find the one that blew and what size it was. I'd be interested to know also. I still can't believe the amount of damage.

Ohiofinlander · 01-31-2019, 04:27 PM

Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear no serious injuries!

mharrison · 01-31-2019, 07:25 PM

At an expansion ratio of 270:1 propane can do some damage.

**Midnightmoon** · 01-31-2019, 08:29 PM

Another news report

https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-storie...iler/912586415

Mitch S · 02-01-2019, 01:30 AM

This is what's left after a propane explosion at a gas station in Ghent W Va 12 years agohttps://my.firefighternation.com/gro...:Topic:2896812

us71na · 02-01-2019, 08:05 AM

I wonder why they were hauling propane bottles inside a closed truck. Any leak could cause that explosion inside a closed truck.

Atlee · 02-01-2019, 08:12 AM

Yet we merrily drive down the road with, in my case 36 gallons, of gasoline in my truck's tank.

And many folks, me included, have natural gas flowing into our homes.

As long as propane is handled with respect and common sense, it's fine as a fuel.

mia389 · 02-01-2019, 08:51 AM

I had gone to a propane class in early 2000,s. There was a slide demonstration of past accidents in MN. One of them was from a resort up north where a lawn guy was weed whipping (weed wacking) with the metal blades on the weed whipper. He was trimming around 4 1000 gal tanks all tied together. He hit the bottom liquid line on one them and caused a massive explosion. They found one of the 1,000 gal tanks in a nearby farmers barn. The pictures were astonishing!

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