Article and photos by Steven Moody
In anticipation of the Labor Day holiday weekend, a Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, homeowner stopped at the convenience store and picked up a propane bottle refill. That evening, his wife started the cooking grill and went back inside the home. Moments later, she returned to check the grill and found a large volume of fire burning around the bottom of the grill and around the propane bottle, which was also making a loud noise.
She called 911, telling the dispatcher that the propane grill was on fire and she feared that bottle might explode. Moments later she called back, saying that the bottle had exploded and the house was on fire. She, her husband, three children (ages 12, five, and nine months) and a 17-year-old foreign exchange student living with them quickly exited the home through the front door.
The 2,700-square-foot home of ordinary construction included a walk-out basement in the rear and had three wood-framed stories at the rear. The propane cooking grill was located on the concrete patio at the ground level. Above the grill, a wooden deck with a lean-to roof extended from the second floor.
Propane
Propane is a gas and the third most commonly used fuel in the United States, after gasoline and diesel. In its natural state, it’s colorless, odorless, and 1.5 times heavier than air. To make it more detectable, manufacturers add an odorant to give it a “rotten egg” smell. In its stored and transported state, propane is a liquid–a very cold one, often referred to as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
It is flammable when it mixes with air. Any open flame, as well as static electricity, can serve as a source of ignition. Although it’s lighter than air, air currents may move it to higher points than where it’s released.
Propane used as a heating fuel for homes and businesses is stored in 250- to 1,000-gallon tanks, placed in somewhat close proximity to the building. It is also used to power vehicles, and is regaining popularity as a refrigerant.
Response
On arrival, approximately three minutes after the dispatch, City of Leavenworth (KS) Fire Department’s Engine 3 and Battalion 1 found the entire three stories of the home (top to bottom) on fire. The deck on the neighboring home to the north of the fire structure had ignited; fire and flames were impinging both homes on both sides. Neighbors grabbed a garden hose and extinguished the fire on the neighbor’s deck.
Fire crews initially made an interior attack, attempting to fight the fire from the unburned side. They quickly realized that most of the fire was on the structure’s exterior and was impinging on the attic.
The incident commander declared a defensive attack, and fire crews extended large diameter handlines and made an exterior attack. Simultaneously, personnel deployed a deck gun and an aerial master stream, and off-duty personnel and mutual-aid were requested. The fire took approximately one hour to completely control.
Investigation
Except for some valuables in the garage and a few items on the ground floor, the home and its contents were a complete loss, valued at an estimated $400,000.
The propane tank was found in a burned spot in a field, 365 feet from its original location. Its flight took it over a grove of trees and a creek. The deck fire on the neighboring home to the north had started when parts of the propane tank/assembly landed on it–111 feet distant from fire structure.
Lessons Learned
The most significant lesson was recognizing that an estimated four out of five Americans have the equivalent of a large, flammable explosive device right outside their homes, or inside a garage or shed. Firefighters should consider the possibility of propane tank involvement at all exterior residential and garage/shed fires.
Although response time was minimal, the entire three-story rear of the home was practically consumed by the time the first units arrived. Firefighters must keep in mind that extreme fire damage may already have occurred prior to their arrival.
Although at this fire, the propane tank exploded prior to the fire crews’ arrival, this won’t always be the case. Firefighters must approach a flame-impinged propane tank as they would any flammable tank exposed to flame.
When responding to propane explosions, firefighters must be consider the possibility of multiple fire locations. Shrapnel from a propane explosion will likely cause fire to ignite at a considerable distance from the original location. This propane explosion caused three separate fires: one at the propane grill’s original location; a second in the field where the exploding tank landed, 365 feet away; and the third on the deck next door where the valve assembly landed, 111 feet away.
Not all structure fires can be fought from the unburned area to the fire. A fire resulting from the explosion of an outdoor propane tank will be primarily an exterior fire. In this case, a quick exterior attack may accomplish a knockdown and allow a subsequent interior attack, depending on structural integrity.
Propane is found in many areas and its presence must be considered at every fire.
The propane industry has made a concerted effort to educate the public about the potential dangers of propane. However, members of the fire service are also responsible for conveying this message and informing the public on how to avoid these dangers.
Steven Moody is the fire chief of the City of Leavenworth (KS) Fire Department and a 30-year member of the fire service. He served 28 years with the City of Salina, Kansas and rose to the rank of deputy chief. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officers program, has an associate’s degree in Emergency Medical Service, and a bachelor’s degree in technology management.
