Acetylene tank explodes in car trunk

[55deere70]

Lady hits her remote trunk release and a leaking plumbers acetylene tank blow up
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/01/27/car-explosion-rocks-parking-lot-in-stoneham/
 

[JMOR]

[JGayman]

That's why I carry my small bottle in the carrier tucked behind the passenger seat. At least I will smell it if there is a leak.
 

[JMOR]

[D7fever]

Acetylene tanks should not be laid down, and
shouldn't be carried in a trunk of a car. Gas
supplier has all the rules and they usually have
news articles with pics of sad tales. Also the tanks
should be SECURED when transporting, and with the
regulators REMOVED.
 

[Bob Bancroft]

My computer/connection is too slow to get the link to work!
Carrying gas cans/torch tanks and the like is bad enough in a pickup truck. But it just shouldn't even be contemplated in a trunk.
Went to some seminar years ago, I think it was how DOT, etc. regulations were going to affect farm trucks, or some such. Anyhow- state trooper had pictures he took of a burnt up car. Father had sent daughter to corner station with can for lawnmower gas. She never made it home.
 

[k6zrx]

If they have been laid down, they need to sit upright for a time to let the acetone drain from the valve area. The cylinders are filled with an inert filler, soaked in acetone, and the acetylene is dissolved into the acetone.

Don't want any fluid getting into the regulator or there will be problems.

Josh
 

[Robert Major]

Hi They where Lucky nobody was killed .
A guy I shared an apartment with while I worked away,had a job working in the oil patch here in Canada. They where building and loading mobile shops in shipping containers.
They put cylinders and tools in the shop, Then had to weld the doors shut for security when they got the container to site, until the job started.
The cylinder for the torch weeped for 2 hours in the front of the container. when they struck the ark on the doors you can guess the rest.
Some of my other friends where working the same yard that day and haven't been the same since this happened.
It was a good few years ago now.
Regards Robert
 

[Bret4207]

I've seen people tell me there are laws that say a propane tank or oxy or acetylene tank can't be transported in an enclosed vehicle, has to be upright, has to be strapped in, etc. because it's DOT law. Thing is none of the items mentioned are of enough quantity to even be in the book so the rules don't apply. I've looked and looked and it's just not there. Now, if you want to talk best practices, common sense, etc., fine, that's different. But I don't own a pickup at the moment and I'm out of acetylene and I won't pay $150.00 for the gas supply co to drop one off. So it's going in the Burb, on it's side and I will let it set overnight in an upright position before using it. Same thing for the 100 lbs propane tank I need filled. The poor guy at the hardware gets the hives when I load it, but that's his problem, not mine.
 

[Dusty MI]

It's been my understanding for many, many years that the largest L.P. tank allowed to be carried in an enclosed vehicle is a 20 pounder. and it must be sitting upright.
I've seen guys getting 30 pounders filled and laying them down in the back of their pick up, and the guy doing the filling informing the driver that the tanks must be sitting up.
 

[mkirsch]

Allowed... Nobody is out there checking every vehicle to make sure their propane tank is sitting upright and is secured.

It's just common sense, but common sense isn't common, so you make it a law.

People with common sense will secure their propane cylinders so they can't roll around and get damaged. They don't want to lose their expensive propane, and don't want to get blown up.

Clueless, law-abiding citizens will secure their propane cylinders because they think the police are lurking in the bushes watching them. They have no idea that they're carrying something dangerous.

Stupid people will just throw the tank in the trunk and go on their merry way. 99,999 times out of 100,000, they will get home with no problem. They don't know value, the law, safety, or any of it.
 

[Bret4207]

Gentlemen, if you can find a Federal DOT law stating that the largest propane tank allowed to be carried in an enclosed vehicle is a 20 lbs tank I'd love to see it. If you can find a state law I'd love to see that too. I never meant to imply they should be "rolling around" in the back, but again, if you can show me a Federal or State law that specifically addresses securement propane or other compressed gases in non-placardable quantities I'd love to see it.
 

[JOB]

The bystanders were lucky that there was not a 50/50
mixture of oxygen in that vehicle. That parking lot
could have looked like Hiroshima. Well not quite,
but a lot worse than a straight acetylene explosion.
 

[JMOR]

[Dusty MI]