Propane Tanker truck explosion in Italy kills 2, injures up to 70 1

[bimr]

Two people have died and at least 70 others were injured as a propane tanker truck exploded near the Bologna airport, Italy. The blast caused part of a motorway bridge to collapse, with several people wounded by debris and shattered glass. Police said they had closed off the motorway link between Bologna Casalecchio and the junction with the A14 where the crash took place as well as the surrounding area in Borgo Panigale, on the outskirts of Bologna. Somehow, the police were able to evacuate the area prior to the explosion.

Video Link

Video Link

Video Link

 

[BrianPetersen]

Wow.

Less than three months ago, I stayed at the Amadeus Hotel Bologna, perhaps 250 metres from where this happened, and the Ducati plant is less than 1 km away, and the whole area has many residential apartment buildings.

https://www.google.ca/maps/search/p...a790cb042!4m2!1d11.5351166!2d44.3909619?hl=en

 

[LittleInch]

Well in one way it goes to show how strong those tankers are.

The first fire actually comes from the truck / trailer that was crashed into and then presumably when they realized it was a Propane tanker retreated to a safeish distance, but there seems to be a lot of people on the streets below and one of those videos is from a car parked quite close....

You don't get many BLEVEs on camera so it goes to show what it looks like when one goes up.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[JayMaechtlen]

Obviously, that truck driver really screwed up.
Stunning that more weren't killed. I guess some of those injured may succumb, and those burned have a nasty recovery process.


Jay Maechtlen

http://www.laserpubs.com/techcomm

 

[itsmoked]

At least that was in about the best possible place for it to happen, up in the sky, uncontained, free to rise into the sky.

What's with Italy? Didn't they have a gasoline tanker run of a cliff and land on a beach frying all the beach-goers couple of years ago?

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[DAVIDSTECKER]

I pulled up behind this at a stop light the other day.
Is this the new Ford Pinto?

 

[BrianPetersen]

That's obviously aftermarket. Company van is the same model - that aftermarket propane tank is placed where the original spare tire was. They probably thought about ease of refilling, but not what happens if they get hit from behind ... or back into a kerb.

People doing aftermarket stuff to their vehicles, don't usually go through a FMEA process with whatever it is that they are doing.

 

[itsmoked]

DAVIDSTECKER; please just use the

next time and save everyone from CLICK-HELL.

I agree that is about the dumbest place you could put a propane tank.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[JohnRBaker]

As opposed to putting it where, inside the passenger compartment?

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[BrianPetersen]

It will fit under-floor just as easily ahead of the rear axle as well (front wheel drive van, so there is no driveshaft up the middle) but it will not be as easy to refill. And you would be able to keep the spare tire by putting it there, too.

The van's original fuel tank is under the floor roughly under the driver and passenger seats.

 

[BridgeSmith]

"As opposed to putting it where, inside the passenger compartment?"

If it gets punctured, it won't make much difference whether it's under the back, under the middle, or inside; the results would be the same. However, that's much less likely to happen inside the frame between the axles. For the most part, outboard and in-cab gasoline tanks have mostly been done away with for the same reason. That said, I still have a '69 Chevy 1/2 Ton with the gas tank behind the seat.

 

[waross]

I am used to seeing propane tanks mounted under the body on the right hand side, about center.
This location does not invite the Pinto effect invited by a rear mounted tank.


Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[DAVIDSTECKER]

Thanks itsmoked, I knew there was a way to insert directly but I hadn't found that button.
It's a good day, I learned something new.
HotRod10, I remember my '72 Ford PU with the tank behind the seat. If I recall correctly there was some issue with Chevy's tank once they started put them under the bed, outside of the frame rail.

 

[itsmoked]

You bet David; training one member at a time.

Between the axles... Remember the F150 debacle? Every time one got broadsided it was BBQ time because the underslung saddle tanks took it.

Though in fairness gasoline tanks are thin weak things compared to propane tanks.





Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[BridgeSmith]

"...there was some issue with Chevy's tank once they started put them under the bed, outside of the frame rail."

Yeah, a number of those outboard tanks were punctured by minor fender-benders and even big rocks. The new plastic tanks are quite a bit more resilient, but I think all OE tanks are now mounted inside the frame rails.