Explosion in a industrial Gases Production Plant
Gaseous hydrogen leaked from an oil pump part of the filling and conditioning system in a industrial gases production plant. The released hydrogen ignited and exploded. The cause has been a human error: an operator turned gave a valve a turn, connecting containers, which were not empty, with the pump. The hydrogen release occurred in an open space under an awning. This caused the flammable mixture to explode producing a fireball of 10 m of diameter. 2 workers were injured but the material damage was limited to a door and a small room.
Event Date
April 8, 1993
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes
Cause Comments
A valve was misplaced by the operator, releasing hydrogen under the canopy.
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
Oil pump, gaseous hydrogen storage, pump
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational Condition
Consequences
Number of Injured Persons
2
Currency
Event Nature
Emergency Action
Unknown
Release Type
Release Substance
Hydrogen Release Concentration (%)
100.00
Ignition Source
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Flame Type
Source Category
References
References
Event description in the French database ARIA
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/4411/
(accessed December 2020)