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Permalink Reply by Fabulous Heather Days of Summer on August 23, 2011 at 11:33pm

Oh how horribly sad.



Were you working this fire as well or know the crews that worked this fire?

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on August 24, 2011 at 2:09am

What concerns me here are the flammable propane tanks being located under and adjacent to the structure. Uniform Fire Code requirements in the states dictate that these compressed gas cylinders be located away from structures and have safety appurtenances employed. Reading comments from locals, these types of fires seem to be typical.

There also was no crash protection provided to prevent vehicular damage or weakening of couplings which are rigid and unforgiving when disturbed or impacted.

With the family not following the father, and all presumably going into one room to die, the lack of fire prevention training for family escape plans needs to be started immediately by the local fire department to take advantage of the tragedy and peoples attention.

Preventing this type of loss needs to be a priority for the Brisbane FD.

CBz

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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on August 24, 2011 at 3:58am

I'm hearing ya' loud n clear Mike!

However, the installation is fairly "typical" and complies with Australian Standards.

Our standards specify that the cylinder must be XX metres from an ignition source (such as a power point or hot water unit), blow off valves pointing out (as oppossed to in towards the house). Not sure about vehicle protection- it makes sense what you're saying but I don't believe it's a requirement udner our standards.

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Permalink Reply by Roy Walker on August 24, 2011 at 1:52pm

Thats to bad Lutan , I guess having identified the building code as part of the problem we need to start a campaign for code reforms as well as educating the public for the need for code reforms. If enough pressure can be brought to bear on the elected represetatives they may see their way clear to whole scale revisions of your building codes. I'm sure it would be too much to hope for changes to what already exists but atleast we can start change for tomrrow.

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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on August 25, 2011 at 12:30am

UPDATE

It's early days in the investigation but it's looking like the gas cylinders are to blame for this inferno... :-(

THE explosion of four gas bottles is believed to have caused an inferno that engulfed a home in Brisbane killing 11 people.
But fire investigators are still trying to find out what sparked the blaze.

All but one who perished at the house were sleeping.

Fire authorities have described the blaze as the worst residential fire in Queensland's history.

It's unclear if the victims, of which eight were children or teenagers, had time to leave their beds and try to scramble to safety.

Police believe the fire started under the house.


READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/fears-for-11-people-in-k...

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on August 25, 2011 at 12:45pm

Of course the gas cylinders were to blame. What an obvious call for the investigators who will eventually find that there was a valve leak that communicated with an ignition source under the building where the LPG vapors accumulated, eventually igniting and consuming the structure.

Without crash post vehicle protection, and with a vehicle parked next to the cylinders, once can assume that there was the possibility that a vehicle had
made contact with one of the cylinders, sans any preventative built in safety features to prevent this from occurring.

Minimal movement on these fixed systems, noting that flexible conduit for the LPG piping is non-existent. If you move it, there will be a leak. As to what sparked the blaze, it will be called electrical in nature unless there was an gas pilot light for a water heater nearby.

The USA Uniform Fire Code requirements for minimum separation between containers and buildings, public ways, or lines of adjoining property where LPG containers can be stored, used or handled is nothing less than 5-feet minimum separation distance.

Weeds, grass, brush, trash or other combustible materials are supposed to be kept not less than 10 feet from LPG tanks or containers.

When exposed to probable vehicular damage due to proximity of alleys, driveways or parking areas, LGP containers, regulators and piping should be suitably protected.

If vehicles are anywhere in proximity to an above ground LPG cylinder, providing a means to protect the cylinders from the vehicles is important because accidents do happen... I think concrete filled metal posts work a little better than public pay phones...

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Permalink Reply by Andy Turnham on August 25, 2011 at 7:37pm

I didn't know pay-phones could move that fast! Your not even safe from them in a parking lot.

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