House Explosion In Michigan

[ConstitutionCowboy]

Anyone know if the ATF and/or the FBI is investigating this over-the-top house explosion?

Something is fishy about this. It happened in the middle of the afternoon with people present, and if it were gas, the smell would have alerted them. Besides, I've not seen a house that was blown up by gas spread debris that far and wide.

Woody

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Lot of crazy stuff out there now. This AM there was an explosion or two in Rochester New York.

 

[Letfreedomring]

It's just LA's EOD disposing of 'unapproved fireworks' in an undersized containment truck AGAIN. Move along, nothing to see here.

 

[User_3155]

That poor Pete.

 

[Big House]

From what I've read, it was a family from Arkansas visiting family. Sad situation. Natural gas is safe, until it's not.

 

[Rustytigwire]

Looks like fuel air mix was optimal for the entire volume of the containment. Not easy even on purpose. Anyone know lel and uel range for natural gas? Hmmm i go look now.
Terrible situation. My thoughts out to them.

Found it

Safety - What is %LEL / %UEL and PID and PPM?

Parts Per Million, Lower Explosive Limit, Upper Explosive Limit, PhotoIonization detector

www.wermac.org

 

[RickN]

From what I've read, it was a family from Arkansas visiting family. Sad situation. Natural gas is safe, until it's not.

Especially if you are cooking meth.

 

[Aries]

Looks like fuel air mix was optimal for the entire volume of the containment. Not easy even on purpose. Anyone know lel and uel range for natural gas? Hmmm i go look now.
Terrible situation. My thoughts out to them.

Found it

Safety - What is %LEL / %UEL and PID and PPM?

Parts Per Million, Lower Explosive Limit, Upper Explosive Limit, PhotoIonization detector

www.wermac.org

5% to 15%. The closer to 10%, the more efficiently it will burn.

It is possible for dirt to filter the mercaptan out of natural gas if the leak is underground, so not smelling a leak is very possible. It's also possible that an equipment failure resulted in it not being scented, but that's probably less likely.

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

5% to 15%. The closer to 10%, the more efficiently it will burn.

It is possible for dirt to filter the mercaptan out of natural gas if the leak is underground, so not smelling a leak is very possible. It's also possible that an equipment failure resulted in it not being scented, but that's probably less likely.

Smell it or not, at what concentration will natural gas or propane cause fainting, sickness, etc.? My search didn't reveal any specific data, only symptoms.

NOTE: There is a propane tank visible in the aerial photo of the destruction and on Google Maps.
ANECDOTE: I found a leak on my propane tank evidently because that mercaptan attracks flies!

Woody

 

[Glocktogo]

Smell it or not, at what concentration will natural gas or propane cause fainting, sickness, etc.? My search didn't reveal any specific data, only symptoms.

NOTE: There is a propane tank visible in the aerial photo of the destruction and on Google Maps.

Woody

That's what I heard, that it was propane, not NG. IIRC, propane is heavier than air and settles, whereas NG is light and disperses?