Fire on a Truck Carrying Hydrogen
A truck-trailer transporting 4,000 pounds (1800 kg) of compressed hydrogen burned to ground, including the driver cabin. The driver was able to get out before it got fully engulfed. 3- to 4-feet of flames were seen coming from the hydrogen tanks, the confinement of which, however, was not completely lost.Despite the absence of factual evidence due to the total loss, the authorities suspected that the initial fire feveloped in the engin. The heat of the engine fire impinged on the trailer, and caused the pressure release system to relase hydrogen. Possibly melting of some pipe components could have been an addtional casue of leak.
Event Date
November 9, 2013
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes
Cause Comments
The evolution of the event (engine fire as immediate cause) is based on assumptions.
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
truck engine
Storage/Process Medium
Storage/Process Quantity
1800
Storage/Process Units
Location Type
Location description
Highway
Operational Condition
Pre-event Summary
it is suspected that the engine took fire.
Currency
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
The ocncusion of the authorities was that the incident wasnt nearly as bad as it could have been.In a worst-case scenario, it could have been very terrible. They noticed as well that teh company repsonsible for the hydrogen transport a satisfactory rating. Its consists of 749 drivers, and has better-than-average safety statistics in all categories of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Event Nature
Emergency Action
The firefighters took a defensive stance by pouring water on the burning tractor-trailer for several hours. Even after the flames were extinguished, they continued hosing down the tanks to make sure they had cooled entirely.Officials allowed all of the remaining hydrogen to vent from the tanks before moving the trailer.
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Source Category
References
References
News of the S. Gabriel Valley Tribune of 10 November 2013
https://www.sgvtribune.com/2013/11/15/exact-cause-of-60-freeway-hydroge…
(accesed Aug 2023)