Just When You Thought the Backyard Barbeque Was Safe!


		AcuSafe -> June 2000 Newsletter
		Just When You Thought the Backyard Barbeque Was Safe!

On June 13, 2000, nine people were hurt, two seriously, at the secluded 167-acre Mata Amritanandamayi Center in Castro Valley, California. Panicky volunteers trying to cool down a leaky waist-high propane tank at a Hindu retreat unwittingly caused a large explosion.

Events leading to the explosion began shortly before 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, when volunteers who were cooking soup noticed that one of the propane tanks had become overheated in the sweltering 100ºF+ sunshine.

Volunteers at the kitchen had begun preparing an evening meal just a half-hour before the fire. Because of the heat, the propane in one of the tanks expanded and then was properly discharged through a relief valve that is designed to prevent tanks from failing due to overpressure.

Instead of moving the tank into a shady area, however, the volunteers put the tank on its side and rolled it, which caused even more liquid propane to leak. The propane quickly expanded in the form of a vapor cloud and exploded when it came in contact with a heat source or open flame (possibly cooking implements).

The fireball destroyed an entire kitchen area, which included stoves and other food-preparation equipment beneath tents. A big rig-size refrigeration unit containing food was also destroyed. The 6,000-square-foot pavilion was singed and damaged. Fortunately, the pavilion was virtually empty when the propane exploded.

None of the 17 propane tanks exploded, but the fire quickly enveloped two acres of nearby grassland. Seventy firefighters were summoned to put out the blaze, including a prison inmate crew, which was aided by a helicopter that dumped water on it.

There are several alleged code violations in connection with the blast. The storage of 17 propane tanks, the presence of an open flame in the area, and the lack of a permit for the kitchen tents are all possible violations of county codes.

For further information on hazards of more common uses of hazardous materials, AcuTech suggests you visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission website, which we have in AcuSafe Links (http://www.acusafe.com/links/links-frame.htm) under U.S. Government.