Event
- Event ID
- 722
- Quality
- Description
A man was burned when a fire broke out as a hydrogen cylinder was being changed in a governmental research centre. It was reported that the fire was started by a spark from a wrench. The sprinkler system put out the fire within minutes. A four litre (one US gallon) container of hydrochloric acid was broken during the incident, but caused no injuries. Several containers of methanol in the same area were not affected. The building was evacuated. Canberra makes nuclear instruments.
- Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- fire
- Macro-region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Date
- Component involved
- valve (cylinder)
- Failure mode
- rupture & ignition
- Initiating cause
- unknown
- Root CAUSE analysis
It was reported that the fire was started by a spark from a wrench.
- Root causes
- Unknown
- Date entry in HIAD
- 01/01/2020
Facility
- Application
- Laboratory / R&D
- Sub-application
- unspecified laboratory
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
hydrogen cylinder
- Process temperature range [C]
- ambient temperature (-50°C to +50°C)
- Location type
- Semiconfined
- Location
- unknown
- Operational condition
- Pre-event occurrences
a hydrogen cylinder was being changed
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Post-event summary
A four litre (one US gallon) container of hydrochloric acid was broken during the incident, but caused no injuries. Several containers of methanol in the same area were not affected. The building was evacuated.
- Emergency action
The sprinkler system put out the fire within minutes.
Lesson Learnt
- Lesson Learnt
It is important to keep any ignition source, such as wrench, away when changing hydrogen cylinder.
In-depth data
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Release temperature [°C]
- 25
- Probable IGNITION SOURCE
References
- Sources categories
- News
- Reference & weblink
Online News at
http://www.saunalahti.fi/ility/PI0447.htm
