Welders, tradesmen, and garage mechanics take note, this is why you don’t transport acetylene welding gas tanks in the back of a closed car trunk.
Lincoln-based Gem Plumbing and Heating’s insurance providers are going to have a field day with this one. According to Boston CBS Local news earlier this week (Aug 19,2020) one of Gem Plumbing and Heating’s company Toyota Camry Hybrid’s exploded at a Sunoco gas station right before the employee even started filling up with gas.
After one brave cop rushed to the scene to put out the initial flames and fire crews sussed out the situation, they found out an uncommon but logical cause for the explosion, a pair of improperly stored and transported acetylene gas tanks sitting, unbeknownst to the employee, in the back of the Toyota Camry Hybrid’s trunk.
Check out the extent of the damage caused by the explosion.
Acetylene is a flammable gas which needs an ignition source to ignite. According to reports, the employee simply pressed the trunk release on his key fob, and apparently that little bit of electrical activity was enough to set the collecting acetylene gas ablaze.
The explosion was strong enough to send debris flying several feet to the nearby highway.
Thankfully, a police officer performing traffic detail was nearby, ran in with his fire extinguisher, and, “knocked down most of it.”
The GEM employee, thankfully, checked out OK and was slightly dazed by the blast.
Here’s the location of that gas station on Google Maps so you can get a good idea of how far the debris went.
How should welding gas be transported?
Like transporting regular gasoline for filling up your lawn mower, storing and transporting acetylene gas follows similar principles.
Linde gases has a great guide for you to follow.
First, Acetylene tanks need to be secured properly. That means gas tanks need properly constructed restraints in whatever vehicle they’re being transported in. Restraints make sure the cylinder’s valve isn’t damaged on the odd chance something knocks into it. Also, sudden acceleration and braking won’t send the tanks flying.
Tanks should be properly ventilated, that means transport in an open-top truck or in a purpose-built cabinet with dedicated ventilation. This Camry exploding to smithereens is exactly why ventilation is important.
Finally, on the off-chance a cylinder topples over on its side, it’s important to let it stand for half an hour before use. Tanks should be transported and stored vertically but accidents happen. This gives time for the gas and solids inside the tank to settle into its proper levels for welding use.
