Although the likelihood of a gas explosion is pretty rare, it's very important to first, make sure your home is as safe as it can be, and then, be aware of any warning signs and act quickly if you suspect there is a problem.
An explosion can occur when a gas pipe is leaking. In a confined space like a home or business, the gas will mix with the air, increasing the pressure of the space. When there is a spark or flame (even a static electricity spark might be enough) present, the gas will ignite, causing an explosion.
Natural Gas Explosion Prevention
There are about 286 serious natural gas explosions per year. These are the type of gas explosions that cause property damage, severe injury, or loss of life.
A natural gas leak can create an explosion if there is an ignition source and the leak is severe enough. While this is fairly rare, gas leaks are incredibly dangerous and should be handled with urgency.
If a multi-story building or a basement can be safely reached within a few minutes of the explosion, go there immediately. The safest buildings have brick or concrete walls. Underground parking garages and subways can also provide good shelter.
Particularly, in case of a confined explosion, water has the potential to mitigate the shock pressure as well as the gas pressure loading developed inside the structure confining the explosion. In case a high explosive detonates, a high pressure blast wave will be generated which moves outward in all directions.
There Is the Potential for a Gas Explosion
Possibly the greatest danger of all that could result from a gas leak is an explosion. Even a small leak in a confined space that builds up over time can cause an explosion if there is a spark or some sort of ignition source.
The combination of a broken main and a heavy soil cap above it leads to the worst kinds of explosions. And sometimes it doesn't take long for the blast to happen, especially in the case of larger pipes. "It could be an hour, it could be three days, it could be weeks," he says.
Using PHMSA's data, InvestigateTV found that since 2010 there have been more than 2,700 gas leak incidents across the country that were considered significant and that 362 of those incidents resulted in explosions. Additionally, those incidents have injured nearly 700 people and killed more than 140.
Natural gas leaks are rare but can occur in a variety of places, so it is important to be aware of the signs. Because natural gas is colorless and odorless, Unitil adds a harmless, non-toxic chemical that makes it easier to detect a gas leak before it can create a hazardous situation.
Everyone knows how dangerous a gas leak can be and that's why gas suppliers are incredibly careful that meters and gas appliances are safe. So it's highly likely that many gas explosions are the result of meter tampering. But the results of the gas explosion are so devastating that the meters are often destroyed.
Although the likelihood of a gas explosion is pretty rare, it's very important to first, make sure your home is as safe as it can be, and then, be aware of any warning signs and act quickly if you suspect there is a problem.
For example, for methane and gasoline vapor, this range is 5-15% and 1.4-7.6% gas to air, respectively. An explosion can only occur when fuel concentration is within these limits.
Natural gas is odorless, but an additive called mercaptan is included to alert people of leaks. Mercaptan has a highly recognizable, sulfur-like, "rotten egg" odor used to help people detect a leak.
The substance injected is called mercaptan and gives off a strong sulphur-like smell, that some people say reminds them of rotten eggs. This gas smell is instantly recognisable to most people and provides potentially the most obvious and tell-tale early warning of any sort of gas leak.
Gas leaks are subtle in smell but very obvious in bills. They can even go on for months undetected.
A gas leak is when natural gas leaks from a pipeline and then into an area where it shouldn't be. Leaks are considered very dangerous since they can build into an explosive concentration. They can kill vegetation and trees, cause explosions and fires, and might release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
When the mixture of natural gas and air reaches the correct composition (between 5% and 15% gas) any spark or flame is enough to create a violent gas explosion.
In its original form, natural gas is colorless and odorless. To help detect the smell of gas, a harmless chemical called mercaptan is added to give leaked gas a distinctive odor. Most people describe the scent like rotten eggs or a hydrogen sulfide odor.
Rotten Egg Odors
Natural gas and propane have a distinctive smell for a reason. For safety purposes, utility companies use an additive called mercaptan that gives colorless and odorless gases a smell that is hard to miss. Most people describe this smell as something like rotten eggs, sewage, or sulfur.
Scientists have recently revealed that Australia and New Zealand are best placed to survive a nuclear apocalypse and help reboot collapsed human civilisation. The study, published in the journal Risk Analysis. These countries include not just Australia and New Zealand, but also Iceland, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
It is remarkable that while an observer at say 50 miles away may not hear an explosion, an observer at 8o miles may hear it distinctly.
Explosions create waves of increased pressure, followed by negative pressure, which can be extremely damaging to ears and internal organs. Keeping ones mouth open is said to equalize pressure, therefore reducing internal damage.