Oxygen cylinder explodes on diving boat - France

[Redshift]

Although often the news say oxygen cylinder when they are actually referring to air (or other common dive mix), this time it was really an oxygen cylinder, but that used in the emergency O2 kit.

Three divers were injured, facial trauma, broken leg, burns. Why it exploded is unknown.

The original news in French here:

[h=1]Une bouteille d’oxygène explose sur un bateau de plongée[/h]Créé : 12-04-2015 11:07
[h=2]FAIT DIVERS – Trois hommes ont été sérieusement blessés samedi à bord d’un bateau par l’explosion d’une bouteille d’oxygène à bord d’un bateau de plongée.[/h]
Ils étaient partis explorer les fonds marins. Ils repartent avec une belle frayeur et de graves blessures. Samedi matin, vers 9h30, un groupe de 5 plongeurs part faire une sortie au large de Carry-le-Rouet dans les Bouches-du-Rhône.
Temps clair, mer limpide, la plongée s’annonce des plus agréable quand soudain l’une des bouteilles d’oxygène à bord du semi-rigide de 6 mètres explose indique La Provence.
Trois des cinq plongeurs sont touchés. L’un souffre d’un traumatisme facial et d’une fracture de la jambe. L’autre a été brûlé au visage. Enfin, la troisième victime souffre de blessures superficielles. Pris en charge par les sapeurs-pompiers, ils ont été transportés à l’hôpital. Aucun pronostic vital n’a été engagé.


Un accident rarissime
Cet accident rarissime a mis tout le port de Carry-le-Rouet en émoi. D’autant qu’une question demeure : comment la bouteille a-t-elle pu exploser. À bord du bateau, elle est utilisée pour oxygéner les plongeurs en cas d’accident de décompression.


Soumises à des contrôles réguliers, ces bouteilles doivent être changées tous les 5 ans indique le quotidien régional. Une enquête de la gendarmerie a été ouverte. L’expertise de la bouteille devrait permettre d’en savoir plus sur les raisons de l’accident.

Une bouteille d

 

[delta-v]

Thank you for posting. If you're following the story, could you post an update here if/when a cause is determined? For example, was the bottle in use or being prepped for use when it exploded?

 

[Yarbrough]

Out of curiosity, how often does something like this actually occur? I know that there are many reasons that can cause it, but this is the first case I have heard of.

Smoking while O2 is being used
Overfilling the cylinder and storing it in an area with direct sunlight maybe
Does anyone have any other ideas? Everything else I can think of would occur during filling, not on the boat.

 

[delta-v]

Does anyone have any other ideas? Everything else I can think of would occur during filling, not on the boat.

Critical moments are when regulators are attached and valves are turned on - hence the query as to whether the oxygen was in use or being prepped for use when the explosion occurred.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Bottles bouncing around in a 20' boat? If the valve gets hit and torqued out of tank neck it could easily create an explosion. There are examples from O2 bottle in back of truck to guy trying to remove a valve.

Sent via

 

[Pinecube]

I know that there are many reasons that can cause it, but this is the first case I have heard of.

I remember reading a DAN report(Found it! Here) of a similar story. A man bumped into his O2 tank, which then exploded. In the end, the tank was not properly O2 cleaned and the tech used a lubricant that does not mix well in high O2 concentrations.

 

[Kmart4321]

I have used thousands of oxygen tanks in my career, albeit medical grade with the designated regulator systems for portable medical oxygen cylinders and I have never seen or heard of this happening.
My guess is some grease or oil contaminated the regulator, ignited when pressurized and then became a pressurized roman candle nightmare from hell.

 

[Herb-alaska]

a poorly maintained bottle ( no hydro no care in a salt environment ) that takes a strike to the valve will go off like a rocket.

 

[Redshift]

They don't say it was being used. I wonder what the state of the bottle was.

 

[KevinNM]

I have used thousands of oxygen tanks in my career, albeit medical grade with the designated regulator systems for portable medical oxygen cylinders and I have never seen or heard of this happening.
My guess is some grease or oil contaminated the regulator, ignited when pressurized and then became a pressurized roman candle nightmare from hell.

There was a flash fire in the town I was living years ago in that totaled an ambulance, badly burned the FF and damaged the fire station.

It was ultimately decided that the aluminum regulators being used in this (and other) fires were unsafe and were banned by the FDA. (There are multiple separate fires described in a FEMA report.)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Report F98-23 | CDC/NIOSH
Oxygen-tank Danger Leads To Recall - tribunedigital-chicagotribune