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Some may be wondering how fire crews were able to mitigate the propane leak in Bayers Lake earlier. A few things to share on that front, in the thread below.
After arrival, crews took a some immediate actions, such as: confirming the source of the leak, ensuring the building was evacuated, and shutting down the road.
Then, crews put hose lines into operation near the leak, which serves a dual purpose. Propane is heavier than air, so this helps to disperse the gas. Secondly, water will cool and help to contain the fire in the event of ignition.
Speaking of ignition, crews also work to eliminate sources of ignition near the leak. In this case, NSP was urgently requested to cut power to the area for this reason.
While this is happening, crews also work to establish a perimeter area based on Canada's Emergency Response Guide (ERG). This includes accounting for wind direction.
Crews also monitor the concentration of the gas using meters. Most HRFE front line trucks have multi-gas meters, but HRFE's HAZMAT trucks also have more sophisticated meters for situations like this. Crews use these meters to determine whether the gas is within flammable ranges.
In this case today, after the above was in place, crews proceeded to the truck to attempt to shut off a valve near the leak. Tac 12 carries a set of non-sparking, intrinsically safe tools made of beryllium for use in these situations. See attached photo (contributed).
Using the non-sparking tools, crews were able to close a valve on the truck, confining the remaining propane safely within the truck's tank. The truck was then driven away to a depot for repairs.
Fire crews metered the nearby building and found significant concentrations of propane gas present. They used fans to vent the area until air quality readings returned to normal. At this time, the emergency was mitigated the property turned back to the owner.
End thread
(The information presented here is based on various discussions with those in the know. Any corrections can be sent to my DM)
(The information presented here is based on various discussions with those in the know. Any corrections can be sent to my DM)
