Discussion: Portland, CT - Propane Explosion/Injured FF 01-29-11

[efdcapt115 1,511]

The two firefighters hospitalized — one with serious burns — following a weekend explosion were caught in a volatile propane release that worsened so rapidly they had almost no time to react, a fire official said Sunday.

http://www.ctnow.com/news/connecticut/middlesex/hc-propane-explosion-0131-20110130,0,2200497.story

[Alpinerunner 61]

Pretty unbelievable/terrible. You don't expect to be in much danger outside at a gas leak. It seems like a freak occurance that the gas travelled over the snow and in an door enough to fill a room. It's hard to blame the guy for not being on air and with a hood on when he was outside in what his meter was showing as a non-IDLH environment.

Hoping for the full recovery of the LT and FF.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Pretty unbelievable/terrible. You don't expect to be in much danger outside at a gas leak. It seems like a freak occurance that the gas travelled over the snow and in an door enough to fill a room. It's hard to blame the guy for not being on air and with a hood on when he was outside in what his meter was showing as a non-IDLH environment.

Hoping for the full recovery of the LT and FF.

I'd say this incident should serve us all as a reminder of how volatile a situation a gas leak of any kind is, and how rapidly things can change from being fine to being a hot zone danger..... especially when that gas is being released under high pressure.

[antiquefirelt 994]

Pretty unbelievable/terrible. You don't expect to be in much danger outside at a gas leak. It seems like a freak occurance that the gas travelled over the snow and in an door enough to fill a room. It's hard to blame the guy for not being on air and with a hood on when he was outside in what his meter was showing as a non-IDLH environment.

Hoping for the full recovery of the LT and FF.

It really should not be a surprise that LPG can and will travel across the ground to lower areas as it is heavier than air. In fact that is why any outside leak results in our metering basements and first floors of houses in the immediate area. The gas "flows" into low areas where it builds up in concentration as it "fills" the area until mitigated or it finds an ignition source. Of course, when your meter reads no to low concentrations your guard certainly goes down, and one can hardly expect they'd have been on air, unless other signs indicated it. Another thing to remember is that you don't have to be in the IDLH atmosphere for the explosion to get you. The LEL is just that, but the outward force of the igniting gas can and will be far greater reaching than the area deemed "elevated concentration".

[PFDRes47cue 653]

I hope the Lt and FF have a speed yrecovery. Thoughts and prayers are with the families. Luckily everyone escaped the explosion with only injuries. Stay safe...