I Say It Once Every Year...

[BrotherBart]

Never heard of a wood pile exploding.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/blast-levels-texas-home-gas-leak-probed/story?id=33928671

 

[velvetfoot]

On the other hand, I never heard of a chimney fire caused by a gas appliance.

 

[Lake Girl]

Generally you have a little more time to deal with a chimney fire ... sometimes hard to pinpoint where the leak is generated from on the natural gas. And sometimes you run out of time...

 

[velvetfoot]

Smell gas, run out of house.

 

[Knots]

The next door neighbors must be elated...

 

[Jags]

Gives a whole new meaning to going home to your flat.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

I called the gas co once when I came home and my apartment stunk, of gas. The smell was bad, heavy, I got the dog and went to the back yard. They showed right up, read things with their little sniff tester, there was a leak in the basement (natural gas, not propane, so it was rising into my apartment). Guy told me it wasn't even up to 15% of the "danger" level. Must happen quick if people are home, or be really well contained (thus the explosion probably) because there's no mistaking the smell of a leak when there is one.
Let's not forget the article here last year about the lady in Austria who threw a live hand grenade that had grown into the tree into her stove! KaPowwww! That's why I don't get firewood from Austria!

 

[maple1]

I think I get the fear of your house going boom - but the danger of a hot chimney fire when everybody is sound asleep is something to be very wary of too. Maybe moreso - the stink of a gas leak plus gas detectors should wake everyone up & give lots of time to vacate. A chimney fire could be going on up on the roof with no obvious signs in your living room or bedroom, and there are numerous accounts of fire fatalities each winter due to chimney fires or poor installs/burning practices.

 

[jharkin]

the sniff testers the gas company use are very sensitive indeed... they can find leaks you cant even smell. And it doesn't take much of a leak at all to really stink up the place. Hard to miss if you are home.

Yes this happens from time to time but its what, a couple houses a year out of 100 million or more with gas heat? You in a lot more danger every time you get in the car and turn the key......

 

[velvetfoot]

Especially if the garage is filled with natural gas.

 

[BrotherBart]

Having a blast in Maryland last night.

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/house-explodes-in-howard-county/35449406

 

[begreen]

No horses sleeping on that lane today. It's amazing they survived.

 

[Dix]

I often ponder moving to a home with NG as heat source, then I look at my firewood stacks.

One day, I might succomb , in more ways than one

 

[begreen]

Our previous house had natural gas heat. Still standing after 107 years. There is still disconnected coal gas for lighting behind the walls in some rooms.

 

[osagebow]

Torn...as a former cook, I'd love a gas stove. The town we grew up in had 2 NG houses blown to bits when we were growing up. One across the street from where my wife lived.

So we have electric.

 

[BrotherBart]

When I lived in Texas regular as clockwork at least one house a year would disappear in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Mom had a nose for natural gas that was unbelievable. I can't even count how many times we would walk into somebody's house and she would say "I smell gas." and sure enough every time when they had it checked there was a leak that nobody was noticing.

Of course that same nose could smell beer breath when you were turning in the driveway...

 

[Lake Girl]

When I lived in Texas regular as clockwork at least one house a year would disappear in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Mom had a nose for natural gas that was unbelievable. I can't even count how many times we would walk into somebody's house and she would say "I smell gas." and sure enough every time when they had it checked there was a leak that nobody was noticing.

Of course that same nose could smell beer breath when you were turning in the driveway...

So you have a good Mom that knew what her kids were up to

 

[Lake Girl]

(broken link removed to http://www.fftimes.com/news/local/photos/fire-jw-walker)
2008 Fire at local school that was a result of a gas leak with gas following water line into the building ... our firefighters were just making entry at the front door when it exploded in the gym (left of main doors). No one hurt and it could have been so much worse during school hours. International Falls, MN Fire was over providing back-up. Nice to have good neighbours.

 

[BrotherBart]

Gas Stove Suspected in Brooklyn Explosion that Killed 1, Hurt 3


http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loca...enwood-NYC-Injuries-FDNY-Smoke-330522331.html

 

[maple1]

Seems to me this thread ran its course over a week ago...

 

[xman23]

Years ago I was driving on a road in town when the front wall of a house blew into the street. A guy came staggering out. Badly burned, he died a few days later.

 

[Lake Girl]

Seems to me this thread ran its course over a week ago...

It doesn't hurt to have multiple reminders that all fuel appliances - regardless of fuel utilized - need to be looked after. That means both inside and outside the home. The explosion at the school mentioned above occurred due to work in the yard that shifted the line and caused a break that allowed gas to travel along the line into the school.

I happen to have a vested interest in community safety ... Hubby and son are career fire fighters.

 

[prezes13]

We were just cutting off a water service to house that will be demolished because of a fire. It was a three family house, according to a fire marshal The cause was from a cigarette, it started burning couch on a front porch. Sad part is that 11 years old boy lost his life.