Event
- Event ID
- 226
- Quality
- Description
Release of gas from a coking plant on a gas holder which ignited causing a fire. The accident took place during repair works. The gas was made of 65 % of hydrogen , 25 % of methane , 4.1 % of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide . About 100 firemen fought the fire with water nozzles. Fire was extinguished within 45 min. A safety area was set up. Because of the toxicity of the gas, about 40 people were evacuated. No consequence to the environment nor people. However, loss of production was significant.
- Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- fire
- Macro-region
- Europe
- Country
- European Union
- Date
- Component involved
- CGH2 tank (stationary)
- Failure mode
- leak & ignition
- Initiating cause
- unknown
- Root causes
- Unknown
- Date entry in HIAD
- 28/02/2009
Facility
- Application
- Steel and metals industry
- Sub-application
- Steel metallurgy
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
gasholder
- Process temperature range [C]
- ambient temperature (-50°C to +50°C)
- Process pressure range [MPa]
- ambient pressure (around 0.1 MPa)
- Location type
- Open
- Location
- industrial area
- Operational condition
- Pre-event occurrences
Accident occurred during repair works
- Description of the facility/unit/process/substances
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS
The gas holder had a volume of on 20000 m3
Gas composition:
65 % of hydrogen (C.A.S. No: 1333-74-0), 25 % of methane (C.A.S. No: 74-82-8), 4.1 % of carbon monoxide (C.A.S. No: 630-08-0) and carbon dioxide (C.A.S. No: 124-38-9).
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Emergency action
About 100 firemen fought the fire with water nozzles ; it was extinguished within 45 min. A safety area was set up. Because of the toxicity of the gas, about 40 people were evacuated.
Lesson Learnt
- Corrective Measures
The report mentions only that strengthened operations measures will be taken.
In-depth data
- Release type
- gas mixture
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 65 %,
CH4 25 % ,
CO 4.1 % ,
CO2. - Probable IGNITION SOURCE
References
- Sources categories
- eMARS
- Reference & weblink
From public part of MARS database
