Scuba tank explosion kills one, injures three in Florida dive shop

http://www.keynoter.com/articles/200...ews/news17.txt
--

Laz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A foolproof method for sculpting an Elephant:
First, get a huge block of marble. Then, chip away
everything that doesn't look like an Elephant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Change "nospam" to "ntlworld" to reply.

On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 10:45:04 +0100, Lazarus X <lazarusx@nospam.com>
wrote:

>http://www.keynoter.com/articles/200...ews/news17.txt

Thought it was the usual clueless journo talking about filling with
oxygen until I got further down the article.

Then got a bit further to the bit about O2 being extremely flammable
and realised I was right all along.


--
Pete

news 'at' melbourne 'dot' me 'dot' uk

On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 11:11:59 +0100, Pete Melbourne
<psmvsl@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 10:45:04 +0100, Lazarus X <lazarusx@nospam.com>
>wrote:
>
>>http://www.keynoter.com/articles/200...ews/news17.txt
>
>Thought it was the usual clueless journo talking about filling with
>oxygen until I got further down the article.
>
>Then got a bit further to the bit about O2 being extremely flammable
>and realised I was right all along.

Indeed. I have an open mind on this one until I find out what really
happened.
--

Laz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A foolproof method for sculpting an Elephant:
First, get a huge block of marble. Then, chip away
everything that doesn't look like an Elephant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Change "nospam" to "ntlworld" to reply.

"Lazarus X" <lazarusx@nospam.com> wrote in message
newsl4ll0to747nognmrtshem924a04on9uof@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 11:11:59 +0100, Pete Melbourne
> <psmvsl@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 10:45:04 +0100, Lazarus X <lazarusx@nospam.com>
> >wrote:
> >
> >>http://www.keynoter.com/articles/200...ews/news17.txt
> >
> >Thought it was the usual clueless journo talking about filling with
> >oxygen until I got further down the article.
> >
> >Then got a bit further to the bit about O2 being extremely flammable
> >and realised I was right all along.
>
> Indeed. I have an open mind on this one until I find out what really
> happened.
> --
>

This has already been done to death at Decostop. Complete with eyewitness
reports and pictures of the tank in question. Search for "Cave excursions
incident".

timo

Pete Melbourne wrote:
> Lazarus X wrote:
>
>> http://www.keynoter.com/articles/200...ews/news17.txt
>
> Thought it was the usual clueless journo talking about filling with
> oxygen until I got further down the article.
>
> Then got a bit further to the bit about O2 being extremely flammable
> and realised I was right all along.

That's being over picky Pete.
Basically a horrific accident at a place that
reads like they have al the right gear and the
experience to get it right has a fatal accident.

A damaged or contaminated tank? Possibly dropped?
http://www.caveexcursions.com/airfill_services.html

As a tank filler I'd really like to hear the full
story but I suspect it will just be a footnote in
their local press when the investigations are finished.

nigelH

On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 11:33:17 GMT, "Nigel Hewitt"
<news@REMOVETHISnigelhewitt.net> wrote:

>As a tank filler I'd really like to hear the full
>story but I suspect it will just be a footnote in
>their local press when the investigations are finished.

Agreed - which is why I am being picky, if there is something to be
learned then lets learn it, but you will only do that by reporting the
facts accurately
--
Pete

news 'at' melbourne 'dot' me 'dot' uk

Timo Ahomäki wrote:

> This has already been done to death at Decostop. Complete with eyewitness
> reports and pictures of the tank in question. Search for "Cave excursions
> incident".

Got a link to that?

- Keith

"Keith S." <false@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:415A9FC6.60808@ntlworld.com...
> Timo Ahomäki wrote:
>
> > This has already been done to death at Decostop. Complete with
eyewitness
> > reports and pictures of the tank in question. Search for "Cave
excursions
> > incident".
>
> Got a link to that?
>
> - Keith
>

I do not know if these work for you, but:

http://thedecostop.com/forums/showth...cave+excursion
s+incident

and

http://thedecostop.com/forums/showth...cave+excursion
s+incident

I you need to register and log in to get to read the forums.

I will not speculate more on this topic but copy below a short description
of the event courtesy of Curt Bowen:

timo

---

Cave Excursions Incident

After a long interview with Bill Rennaker, Owner and operator of Cave
Excursions on August 7th, 2004 about the accident, this is a post of the
actual facts.

I have not been able to contact the owner of the cylinder for a review of
how the cylinder was oxygen cleaned or handled prior to the incident.

1. The cylinder was an Aluminum 30 with an original hydro date prior to
1989.

2. It was in current VIP and Hydro with proper stickers and stamp.

3. By report from Bill Rennaker, The owner stated that the cylinder was
oxygen cleaned prior to his trip to North Florida. (Cave Excursions had
nothing to do with oxygen cleaning, VIP or hydro of this cylinder)

4. The cylinder had been filled with oxygen prior to the incident and
partially used.

5. The cylinder was under pressure when it arrived at Cave Excursions for an
oxygen top-off.

6. An employee of Cave Excursions received the cylinder and connected it to
the dedicated 100% oxygen fill whip. But had NOT turned on the fill whip.

7. The cylinder slipped or fell over and hit the concrete floor.

8. Without notice, the neck of the cylinder failed causing an explosive
release of oxygen encoring in a large oxygen flash fire that quickly put
itself out after the oxygen had been engulfed.

9. The explosion created such a force that it demolished the double glass
doors on the front of Cave Excursions destroyed the ceiling overhang, and
much of the interior of the dive retail facility.

10. The valve of the cylinder and fill connector from the oxygen panel to
date has never been located even with the assistance of metal detectors and
days of searching. It may be lodged in the treetops.

11. No oxygen from Cave Excursions fill station escaped from the panel, it
had not been turned on prior to the explosion.


OSHA required the removal of any item from the dive facility that may
contain shards of glass from the explosion to be removed and disposed.

The local law enforcement agency has conducted their investigation and
approved the re-opening of Cave Excursions.

OSHA has inspected and approved the re-opening of Cave Excursions for both
gas filling and retail.

Cave excursions are NOT filling any aluminum cylinders with an original
hydro date, on or prior to1989.

All retail equipment in the facility has been replaced and the shop is
currently open, but under repairs.

More investigation is needed about the oxygen cleaning techniques and
handling of the cylinder prior to its arrival at Cave Excursions.

Curt Bowen
Publisher Advanced Diver Magazine

news:6e2ll0do8idmslvpamr6vrf1m941jemjmv@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 10:45:04 +0100, Lazarus X <lazarusx@nospam.com>
> wrote:
>
>>http://www.keynoter.com/articles/200...ews/news17.txt
>
> Thought it was the usual clueless journo talking about filling with
> oxygen until I got further down the article.
>
> Then got a bit further to the bit about O2 being extremely flammable
> and realised I was right all along.

As I recall it was, in fact, an O2 tank. The shop caters to technical
divers.

On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 12:43:02 +0100, "Keith S." <false@ntlworld.com>
wrote:

>Timo Ahomäki wrote:
>
>> This has already been done to death at Decostop. Complete with eyewitness
>> reports and pictures of the tank in question. Search for "Cave excursions
>> incident".
>
>Got a link to that?

Reproduction of what seems to be the most complete account of what
happened.

Original URL :
http://thedecostop.com/forums/showth...?t=8694&page=1

*** Re posted because you need to register ***

Cave Excursions Incident

After a long interview with Bill Rennaker, Owner and operator of Cave
Excursions on August 7th, 2004 about the accident, this is a post of
the actual facts.

I have not been able to contact the owner of the cylinder for a review
of how the cylinder was oxygen cleaned or handled prior to the
incident.

1. The cylinder was an Aluminum 30 with an original hydro date prior
to 1989.

2. It was in current VIP and Hydro with proper stickers and stamp.

3. By report from Bill Rennaker, The owner stated that the cylinder
was oxygen cleaned prior to his trip to North Florida. (Cave
Excursions had nothing to do with oxygen cleaning, VIP or hydro of
this cylinder)

4. The cylinder had been filled with oxygen prior to the incident and
partially used.

5. The cylinder was under pressure when it arrived at Cave Excursions
for an oxygen top-off.

6. An employee of Cave Excursions received the cylinder and connected
it to the dedicated 100% oxygen fill whip. But had NOT turned on the
fill whip.

7. The cylinder slipped or fell over and hit the concrete floor.

8. Without notice, the neck of the cylinder failed causing an
explosive release of oxygen encoring in a large oxygen flash fire that
quickly put itself out after the oxygen had been engulfed.

9. The explosion created such a force that it demolished the double
glass doors on the front of Cave Excursions destroyed the ceiling
overhang, and much of the interior of the dive retail facility.

10. The valve of the cylinder and fill connector from the oxygen panel
to date has never been located even with the assistance of metal
detectors and days of searching. It may be lodged in the treetops.

11. No oxygen from Cave Excursions fill station escaped from the
panel, it had not been turned on prior to the explosion.


OSHA required the removal of any item from the dive facility that may
contain shards of glass from the explosion to be removed and disposed.

The local law enforcement agency has conducted their investigation and
approved the re-opening of Cave Excursions.

OSHA has inspected and approved the re-opening of Cave Excursions for
both gas filling and retail.

Cave excursions are NOT filling any aluminum cylinders with an
original hydro date, on or prior to1989.

All retail equipment in the facility has been replaced and the shop is
currently open, but under repairs.

More investigation is needed about the oxygen cleaning techniques and
handling of the cylinder prior to its arrival at Cave Excursions.

Curt Bowen
Publisher Advanced Diver Magazine

--

Laz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A foolproof method for sculpting an Elephant:
First, get a huge block of marble. Then, chip away
everything that doesn't look like an Elephant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Change "nospam" to "ntlworld" to reply.