ReplyI'd put my $$$ on 4-15%Originally Posted by rich pickering
Professional Member
"If it was a fuel gas, my money is on propane"
I've seen Nat gas do that. Guy in town decided to kill himself by gassing with Nat gas. Probably watched to many English movies. His problem was he didn't have a gas oven. So he opened the union to the furnace. While he was waiting, he decided to have one last smoke. Guess what the % of gas was. He lived for about 8 hours. There was NOTHING left standing of the house. The shock wave was felt over 4 miles away.
I love my job, but paydays Thursday
Professional Member
I'd put my $$$ on 4-15%
Professional Member*
Urea funny!
AOP Committee/Professional Member*
You guys can speculate all you want but until the Certified Fire and Explosion experts, ATF/ Homieland Security et al have investigated and released their findings, you won't have a clue as to what it was. They follow the procedures in NFPA 921 which is a systematic approach instead of grasping for straws. For instance, how do you know it wasn't a broken gas line nowhere near the furnace? Their procedure will look for a source of energy capable of generating this much damage, the mechanism for mixing air/ fuel, source of ignition, etc. You'd be surprised what they can determine even from such devastation. What I want to know is who contacted this former owner or did he call the station? Most people who could be connected in anyway to such an incident tend to lay low avoiding identification, much less public exposure.
This will be interesting as it develops. Yes, NG properly mixed can certainly do this. Due to the collateral damage to adjacent structures, the overpressure and thus working back, the original explosive force can be calculated. It is a fallacy to state that a person would definitely smell a gas leak. First of all, about 15% of the population are not sensitive to the 12 or so odorants used with fuel gas marking. Secondly, there is a phenomenon called "odor fade". This is alleged to occur under certain conditions such as exposure to moisture, rust or wet clay soils. There have been cases where safety controls out in the street failed causing a catastrophic over-pressurization to the service address. Sending high pressure gas into a home with controls tested and listed for 14 wci can fail causing significant fugitive gas, which can accumulate and aerate until a source of ignition is found. That could be anything from a standing pilot to ringing phone, doorbell or any electric switch or even a static discharge.
Keep the fire inside the fireplace.
Global Moderator
Homeland Security and local authorities are calling it a homicide investigation. They obviously don't believe this happened on its own. Only peep lately was a thought that it might have been remotely set off.
Professional Member*
I had a nagging suspicion that I should have obtained permission to speculate first.
Don't I feel like the fool.
Geez, a guy can't do anything without criticism. My dad must have signed on as Hearthman!
Sorry HMan, couldn't help myself!
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