Event
- Event ID
- 1158
- Quality
- Description
A trailer carrying compressed hydrogen tubes took fire at the rear while parked at a warehouse.
The trailer-truck was carrying 130,000 standard cubic feet of hydrogen (300 kg), and was parked back to back to another trailer without truck. The driver heard a noise and saw flames and plumes of black smoke at the rear of the trailer. The other trailer was not affected.
The causes of the fire are unknown. The news did not reveal either the nature of the operations ongoing when the incident occurred. From the video and the position of the two trailers, it could be speculate that hydrogen transfer was being prepared, ongoing, or just terminated.
The fire brigades intervened with several cars, ordered a quarter mile evacuation area and fought the fire with a water lance.- 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 (generic)
- Failure mode
- rupture & ignition
- Initiating cause
- unknown
- Root CAUSE analysis
The INITIATING CAUSE was unspecified release and ignition of hydrogen from the rear of the trailer.
From the location of the major fire damage and the fact that the burn traces indicate the reduction of a jet flame, one could speculate on the failure of a valve or joint in the pressure control cabinet.
The ROOT CAUSE is unknown.
- Root causes
- Unknown
- Date entry in HIAD
- 01/02/2025
Facility
- Application
- Hydrogen transport and distribution
- Sub-application
- CGH2 tube trailer
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
trailer
- Process temperature range [C]
- ambient temperature (-50°C to +50°C)
- Process pressure range [MPa]
- medium to high pressure (10 to 50 MPa)
- Location type
- Open
- Location
- populated area
- Operational condition
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Emergency action
The fire brigades intervened with several cars, ordered a quarter mile evacuation area and fought the fire with a water lance.
In-depth data
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Released amount (kg)
- 300
- Release temperature [°C]
- 25
- Probable IGNITION SOURCE
References
- Sources categories
- News
- Reference & weblink
Hydrogen Central news, and AIR7 and FOX11 videos
https://hydrogen-central.com/big-rig-carrying-hydrogen-tanks-catches-on….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TQPTOyCNIE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=zXlLZePp3hA
(accessed January 2025)
