O2 cylinder explosion

[MJordan]

"Oxygen doesn't burn."

Combustion hazard

Highly concentrated sources of oxygen promote rapid combustion and therefore are fire and explosion hazards in the presence of fuels. Oxygen itself is not the fuel, but as a reactant, concentrated oxygen may allow combustion to proceed dangerously rapidly. The fire that killed the Apollo 1 crew on a test launchpad spread so rapidly because the capsule was pressurized with pure oxygen as would be usual in an actual flight, but to maintain positive pressure in the capsule, this was at slightly more than atmospheric pressure instead of the ⅓ normal pressure that would be used in flight. (See partial pressure.)
Hazards also apply to compounds of oxygen with a high oxidative potential, such as high concentration peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, and dichromates; they also can often cause chemical burns.

for a lil more info on combustion involving O2...

 

[DiveSite]

Did I miss something? Why was someone trying to remove a valve from a cylinder that still had oxygen it it?

 

[cdiver2]

Did I miss something? Why was someone trying to remove a valve from a cylinder that still had oxygen it it?

The valve was stuck in the shut position