Event
- Event ID
- 868
- Quality
- Description
A fire occurred at a hydrogen dryer, part of the hydrogen system cooling the generator of the power plant.
An employee was removing a sensor from one of the hydrogen dryers. As the employee began to unscrew the sensor, hydrogen gas leaked out, ignited and started a fire, causing one injury.- 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
- joint/connection (threaded)
- Failure mode
- rupture & ignition
- Initiating cause
- inadequate or no purge
- Root causes
- Unknown
- Date entry in HIAD
- 30/01/2026
Facility
- Application
- Power plant
- Sub-application
- coal-fired power plant
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
sensor, hydrogen dryer
- Process temperature range [C]
- Above ambient temperature (50°C to 100°C)
- Location type
- Confined
- Location
- populated area
- Operational condition
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Number of injured persons
- 1
- Post-event summary
The employee was hospitalized to treat 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his right arm and hand, right ear and face.
- Official legal action
A penalty of approximately 14,600 US$ was issued by OHSA.
In-depth data
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Release temperature [°C]
- 25
- Probable IGNITION SOURCE
References
- Sources categories
- OHSA
- Reference & weblink
US OHSA Accident Summary Nr: 139168.015
https://www.osha.gov/ords/imis/accidentsearch.accident_detail?id=139168…
(accessed January 2026)
