Propane Leak Test followed by Fire/Explosion – Who is liable?
Who is liable?
We recently had a propane company come to our property to fill a propane tank for us; the propane was to be used to heat my husband’s work shop. Two men came; one was hauling the propane and one in a service truck was there to perform the required leak/pressure test. We’ve used propane in the past but recently bought a new tank so my husband had to be there in order for the men to inspect our heaters as well as do the testing.
While one man was filling the tank the other man performed three pressure tests on the line; each lasting 10-15 minutes; the gauge didn’t show a leak so they went outside and my husband paid the driver and went back in to the shop to turn the heater off and lock up. As he approached the heater to turn it off flames swooshed and shot out at him instantly covering the floor of our shop in rolling flames. By the grace of God my husband was able to get out without injury. The employee of the propane company had not even pulled out of our driveway when the fire/explosion happened.
The fire department was called but the shop building; tools etc. were a total loss. While the fire department was still on our premises the owner of the propane company walked up and asked my husband if “he and a few of his guys could come back later, after everyone leaves to check things out”, he said that he just wanted to “make sure nothing came back on me, ya know?” My husband explained to him that if it was ok with our insurance company then it was ok with us but also told him that he would have to talk to our insurance company first, the owner then said, “Ok, but I don’t think they will mind”. A couple of hours later a service truck from the company pulled up with the owner behind in his personal vehicle. Three men got out of the service truck with tools and walked over toward our shop building and propane tank with the owner. Without even knocking on our door to ask permission! My husband walked outside and told him that our insurance company said they were not allowed to mess with anything at this time; we were still waiting on the adjuster to come file his report. After a few moments they all walked back to their vehicles and one of the men said, “Well your insurance company isn’t too trusting are they?”
Does this sound like the gas company is liable for our loss?
Thank you, I know I rambled on but I am still a bit shaken up by the entire incident as I could’ve very easily lost my husband that day.
Replies
Wow
I am sorry for you and the loss, glad your husband was not harmed.
I have just one question that I may have missed in the description of that day. I am assuming the gas co. bled the line and lit the heater? Is this true? The explosion did not happen until he went in to shut it off?
I certainly agree that your insurance company-or fire department investigators should do their looking b/4 anything is looked at by anybody. There is of course other potentials for the cause-namely the heater itself.
Best of luck in this and please return with updates.
thanks.
Bled the lines
Yes, the way I understand it is the man working for the propane company used a hand held propane torch to bleed the lines before pressure testing. The way my husband explained it to me is it he used the torch to check the heater valve as well as bleed the lines.
It happened as he was reaching to turn it off. It's like the level of propane just made it up to the flame on the heater as my husband walked up to turn it off.
Thank you.
Agreed--let no one touch a thing there until an official investigation can be done by those who have nothing to gain or lose by whatever conclusion they reach, like folks from the fire marshall's office.
Glad to hear no one was hurt; this could have been so much worse. I hope you and your husband have a celebratory dinner soon. Events like this make you realize again just what's most important in life.
Best wishes.
Faulty Heater
Sounds like a faulty heater.
In any event, your insurance company is obligated to cover the damages from the fire, and it is your insurance company who is obligated to investigate the cause and go after the propane company or heater manufacturer to be reimbursed if they can be found negligent.
From your description, its sound like a faulty heater, however, and ultimately your responsibility to cover the loss via your own casualty insurer.
From your description the fire occurred because of a buildup of flammable fumes on the floor. This could have been propane (which is heavier than air) or something like gasoline fumes.
Nothing the propane company did outside could have caused this.
The question is whether they should have detected a problem inside while pressure testing or while lighting the pilot (which I gather they did). Hard to say, without knowing what precisely caused the fire.
In any event, as others have said, it's up to the fire marshal to decide what caused the fire, and it's up to the insurance company (you were insured, right?) to pay you. The insurance company may then decide to recover their losses from whoever they feel was liable.
Agree with others
that no one should touch anything until the fire inspector and/or insurance inspector complete their work.
You mention that the propane company performed more than one test. Did they disconnect the appliances and the tank from the lines, and use an air compressor to pressurize the lines? Did they then reconnect the appliances and use a manometer to perform a low-pressure test with the tank valve closed? Did they then test-fire everything?
Further question: is the gas heater in the workshop an open-combustion appliance, i.e. is the flame not isolated from the room air? Does it have a vent to the outside for flue gas?