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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Fire on a lorry carrying CGH2 cylinders

Event

Event ID
115
Quality
Description

The chain holding compressed hydrogen cylinders on a lorry broke. The cylinders fell and due to the mechanical impact they released hydrogen resulting in a small fire.

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
CGH2 tube (trailer)
Failure mode
leak
Initiating cause
impact, rollover, crash
Root CAUSE analysis

The INITIATING CAUSE the breaking of the chain holding the cylinders in place. 

The ROOT CAUSE could be assigned to a failure in taking into account the forces during road travel, or a failure to inspect and fix the chain.

Root causes
Date entry in HIAD
20/01/2025

Facility

Application
Hydrogen transport and distribution
Sub-application
H2 delivery to customers
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected

CGH2 tube 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
highway or similar
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of fatalities
0
Number of injured persons
0
Currency
US$
Property loss (onsite)
0

In-depth data

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Release temperature [°C]
25
Probable IGNITION SOURCE

References

Sources categories
Zalosh
Reference & weblink

Extract from Table III of Appendix A of Zalosh and Short COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HYDROGEN FIRE AND EXPLOSION INCIDENTS Quarterly Report No. 2 for Period December 1, 1977 - February 28, 1978 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6566131 (accessed September 2020)