WASHINGTON — A new
safety video has been released that focuses on the 30 minutes leading up to a deadly propane gas explosion at a convenience store in West Virginia in January last year.
The incident in Ghent killed two emergency responders and two propane technicians.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board's "Half an Hour to Tragedy" video looks at the time between the beginning of the propane release and the moment of the explosion. During that period, no evacuation occurred, and volunteer firefighters and others entered the flammable propane cloud.
The video includes a seven-minute, 3-D computer animation showing how a defective valve on a 500-gallon propane storage tank shot propane directly into the store building through attic vents.
"This video shows how a number of factors — a tank placed too close to the building, a lack of necessary training for propane technicians, and a lack of awareness among technicians and responders to order an immediate evacuation — combined to take the lives of four people," said CSB Chairman John Bresland.
"Across the United States, firefighters are responding to propane emergencies almost every day. Training and preparedness are the keys to preventing tragic accidents like the one in West Virginia last year."
West Virginia State Fire Marshal Sterling Lewis, Jr., is featured in the video, along with CSB investigators Robert Hall, P.E., and Jeffrey Wanko, P.E., C.S.P.
"Our hope is that fire departments and propane companies throughout the nation will view this video and study the Board's findings and recommendations," Wanko said. "The information in this video can save lives in case of a propane emergency."
The Board recommended mandatory training for propane technicians using improved training materials, regular hazardous materials training and drills for responders, and new propane release guidance for 911 emergency operators.
For more details on the CSB, visit its site at ChemSafety.gov. Check out a range of CSB safety videos at FlashoverTV.com.
