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Narrow boat explosion

bag 'o' bones

By bag 'o' bones
in General Boating

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bag 'o' bones Rising Star

bag 'o' bones

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Just announced on'Radio Shropshire' that a man has been seriously burned after his boat exploded somewhere near whitchchurch on the Shropshire Union. According to the report quick thinking emergency worker flagged down another boat and transported the man to the next bridge where an ambulance was waiting.

Edited by bag 'o' bones
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Greybeard Proficient

Greybeard

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Just announced on'Radio Shropshire' that a man has been seriously burned after his boat exploded somewhere near whitchchurch on the Shropshire Union. According to the report quick thinking emergency worker flagged down another boat and transported the man to the next bridge where an ambulance was waiting.

 

http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/01...-name_page.html

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dor Veteran II

dor

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According to NBW this explosion resulted from running a generator in the front of the boat, presumably in the well deck.

 

A reminder that petrol and petrol fumes need to be treated with the same caution as gas.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Interesting that it doesn't sound like it's another black mark for LPG then.

 

It would be interesting to see a comparison of serious incidents related to generators, versus those that relate to gas.

 

Obviously one doesn't know what the need for a generator was here, but I suspect an awful lot of the time they (or engines) are run is to replenish batteries supplying an electric fridge.

 

I remain unconvinced that using an electric rather than gas fridge necessarily makes life safer, although I'll admit generators are quite safe if used and fuelled correctly. The trouble is a lot of people not only store them in unsuitable places, they also fuel them up and run them in unsuitable places.

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Interesting that it doesn't sound like it's another black mark for LPG then.

 

It would be interesting to see a comparison of serious incidents related to generators, versus those that relate to gas.

 

Obviously one doesn't know what the need for a generator was here, but I suspect an awful lot of the time they (or engines) are run is to replenish batteries supplying an electric fridge.

 

I remain unconvinced that using an electric rather than gas fridge necessarily makes life safer, although I'll admit generators are quite safe if used and fuelled correctly. The trouble is a lot of people not only store them in unsuitable places, they also fuel them up and run them in unsuitable places.

 

Storing a petrol generator safely so that it cannot leak fuel or fumes into a narrowboat (or widebeam) can be a bit tricky. It really needs its own locker but with space at a premium few users manage this. I've got a big petrol generator on my cruiser stern deck and I'm intending to get a steel box built which it will run inside. The box will be vented over two sides facing overboard which also allows the generator to draw air for cooling, but will be sealed on the two boat sides to prevent fumes from draining into the engine space.

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Tonyl Collaborator

Tonyl

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On the subject of LPG, I am aware of the dangers as it is heavier than air and sinks to the lowest point of a boats hull and can remain there until the crucial mix occurs etc and "boom" .

 

We have just come back to boating (57' Trad) and although it is a new build with a modern cooker with spark type ignition, their must be a little gas that escapes the ignition and sinks to the floor/bilge, and therefore begs the question, "what device should be used to detect such gas build up" ?.

 

Sorry if it is an old done to death subject, and if so ,maybe you could point in the correct direction.

 

Regards

 

Tony

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bottle Veteran II

bottle

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Tony

 

I should not worry to much about the little escape of gas as you light the burners, it will still be that close that it will burn off.

 

If you do require a detector, good idea anyway, put "lpg detector" (include quotes) in google and you will get 112 hits.

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