An explosion occurred this Wednesday morning at a crossroads in Deerlijk, West Flanders. A canister exploded while it was in the back of a truck. The owner of a roofing company was killed, and one of his workers was seriously injured. This accident is a reminder of the dangerousness of this type of carboy. How are they “secured”? Are there any special precautions to take when handling gas cylinders?
“There is an open side and a closed side. As long as we respect that, there is no problem”, informs Maxime Bazin, manager of a service station. This is a cap that simply screws and unscrews, there is no particular security. We must therefore remain attentive. “You just have to be careful that it’s closed, when it’s open, you can hear the gas coming out. When it’s closed, there’s no noise”explains this manager of a service station.
Depending on the type of bottle, the opening and closing systems are different. So you have to be careful regarding it. “For gas cylinders, domestic style weighing a few kilos, there is always a regulator so you always have to pay attention to the connection. The seal must be replaced regularlywarns Michel Méan, spokesperson for the Hainaut-East rescue zone. And when it comes to butagaz-style bottles or other camping bottles, you always have to be careful, because there, it’s a ball that acts as a valve. And so, you always have to be careful that it is in good condition.”
It is also advisable not to leave the bottles in a place that is too hot. “Especially if a bottle is in a vehicle. The vehicle is overheated so the bottle is also overheated. It will expand, the gas will escape and there is always a risk of explosion following any spark”continues the spokesperson for the Hainaut-East rescue zone.
If you have any doubts regarding a potential leak, ventilate the area immediately and obviously avoid any sparks.
