Waytago!
We are glad you are not badly burned.
This was a considerably bigger propane fire, but it is why I am not
thrilled about the Cathey "test refrigerant" in a car.
https://archive.org/stream/midamericapipeli00netc/midamericapipeli00netc_djvu.txt
I saw the destruction firsthand.
Yesterday 'bout 5 PM, I had a few minutes of excitement after
installing full, 20 # tank of propane on my Weber grille.
'Had the tank filled 2 or 3 months ago at local hardware store.
'Thought I heard it leaking at the fill/dispensing valve while the
clerk lady was filling it, and asked her, "Is that bottle leaking at
the valve shaft?" She replied, "Nah, I probably didn't have the
fill/charging connection quite tight enough."
Coupla months ago, SWMBO had problem with the grille not getting
hot enough. I read owner's manual, and realized that she was
turning it on in such a manner (too quickly) as to cause a safety
feature to keep it from providing high heat. During my tests, I
temporarily installed the full tank and found it leaking at the
fill/dispensing valve when I opened the valve on top of the tank. I
changed the bottles back to the "old" tank. Coupla days later I
took the "newly-filled" tank back to the hardware store and tried to
tell 'em that, indeed, it does leak and asked if they could change
the valve. 'Lady who had filled it nearly went "ballistic" when I
tried to ask her if she remembered my concern about it while she was
filling it. Another clerk (male) took the bottle to the charging
station, plugged it in and declared, "Not leaking; ya may not have
had the connection tight enough." I replied, "Well, I had it as
tight as I could get it with a wrench (big pliers)."
'Brought the tank back home and sat it on patio/terrace by the
grille until I installed it yesterday.
When I first opened the valve on top of the tank to start the
grille, I heard a slight hiss/leak at the valve; after closing the
valve, "got on" the connection nut again with the big pliers while
trying to wiggle the hose. When I opened the valve on top of the
tank again, I heard no hiss and proceeded with the grille starting
procedure and leaving the doors to the tank compartment open. When
I pushed the ignition button, not only did it ignite the grille
burners, It ignited a significant flame around the valve on top of
the tank in such a manner that I could not reach the valve
handle/knob to turn it off!
'Grabbed my cell phone and told Siri to call 911. 'Clearly
identified myself, location and situation to the dispatcher,
"Propane leak with active flame that keeps me from reaching the
valve, 'needing help NOW!" Dispatcher started asking his questions,
and I went through all of it again and finished with, "While we're
talking, I hope you have a truck underway, I need it now!"
Fire station is only about 10 to 12 blocks away, so I quickly began
to hear the sirens headed my way, and noticed that the flame pattern
around the valve and top of the tank had changed slightly so that I
may be able to use the pliers to turn the valve bit by bit to turn
the gas off. 'Grabbed the pliers and began to get a grip on the
hard-to-hold triangular-shaped knob while trying to dodge the
flames. After several tries, I began to find a way to grip the knob
and turn it off a bit each time. I finally got it off as the fire
truck pulled up in front of the house.
'Was literally bar-b-q ing my hand - 'got coupla small first degree
burn (very minor) places on inner, top of thumb. Singed hairs on
back of fingers, hand and wrist.
Wilton
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