PCDC Storage bottle blows

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I usually go to the Dive Locker. Is PCDC on the same road, but closer to the water?

Dive Locker is closer to Hwy98 and PCDC is on the end of the same road, but beachside. There is another diveshop in between the two(Divers Den). I typically use Dive Locker as well, when I'm diving out of the area.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

That is not true, any cylinder stamped with DOT is always required to be within hydro test when it is filled no matter what the use. Just because its tucked away in the corner forever does not exempt it.

We are not in complete disagreement, but you are being a bit too broad in your application of testing requirements. Generally speaking a "K" bottle is going to be considered portable regardless of where it is located by most DOT inspectors, so they tned to get requalified per DOT regs. A surplus submarine ballast tank is normally not portable and would not be testable by most facilities, so the odds of it ever being tested are slim and none.

From a strictly legal perspective it is simply a matter of jurisdiction. The DOT, formerly the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), only has jurisdiction over tanks that are used, or in some interpretations, could potentially be used, in interstate commerce. That is a distinctly different issue than whether periodic hydro testing is a good idea. So if the tank is not portable or is built in to the structure in such a way as to not be readily removeable from the building, the DOT regs are not going to be applicable. Consequently, they can technically be filled even without a current requalification stamp.

Also, due to the very small wall stress involved, tanks below a certain diameter and lenght do not require a hydro at all even if DOT stamped.

The grey area becomes user owned scuba and welding tanks that are not used in interstate commerce - but are portable and could eventually cross a state line or be used in commerce. DOT inspectors tend to assume the latter.

Local state, county and city regulations however may require compliance with the DOT regs or similar rules as a matter of local, not federal, jurisdiction.

You can adopt a holier than thou attitude about tank testing and look at it as a very black and white issue, but the DOT regs still won't apply in all cases.

 

[Tom Smedley]

Mike and Jerry asked me to post this statement:

We would like to let everyone know everything except the storage system is fine and would like to thank everyone for their concern, prayers, and thoughts. We would also like to express our thanks to the other two local shops, Divers Den and Dive Locker, for their support during this interesting incident.

This message is sent from the Island Diver on the way to a great Panama City dive site.

 

[mike_s]

First off I'm glad no one was seriously injured.

The News Herald has a brief write up:

Tank explosion takes out wall at dive shop - The News Herald

That's the same news story that someone emailed me. I'm going to post the text of it in case the newspaper takes it down off their site after a few weeks like some of them do.

Tank explosion takes out wall at dive shop
3
June 13, 2009 06:33:00 PM
By S. BRADY CALHOUN / News Herald Writer

PANAMA CITY BEACH A 16-foot compressed air tank exploded Saturday afternoon, knocking holes in the roof and east wall of Panama City Dive and Ski Center on Thomas Drive.

The explosion happened shortly before 4 p.m., officials said, and no one was hurt in the incident.

The large tank is used to fill other dive tanks, said Chief David Morrison, of the Bay County Fire Department. When the tank exploded, it sent other tanks shooting out of the building. Both Morrison and Jerry McLendon, a co-owner of the business, said they did not know why the tank exploded.

"It wasn't overfilled," McLendon said. "It had the proper amount of pressure in it."

The news article quotes a 16 foot tank. Unless the tank was a 5K rated or higher tank I would not believe for a second it has not been overfilled more than a few times in its life time.

I have no clue if it was overfilled. (the article says it wasn't).

However, I had one of their employees filling my AL80 tanks once (several years ago) and I looked up to see the pressure in my tank and saw it rising towards 3800psi. I asked him "is that my tank? (pointing to the 3800psi gauge)" he went "oh crap, what do I need to do? I answered, "I suggest you let some air out of the tank back down to 3000psi", which he did. (I don't know if he still works there or not, but he hasn't been in the shop the past times I've been there).

 

[mike_s]

got love how clueless the media can be... check out this other story


They listed it as an Oxygen tank at Emerald Coast Kiteboarding Dive Shop.

(since when do they sell kites there? (or is that in an adjourning shop around the corner?)

maybe it was an oxygen tank... but who the heck has a 16ft O2 tank? I'm thinking they just generalized that an air(gas) tank was an O2 tank....




wmbb.com - Oxygen Tank Explosion Tears Down Wall

Oxygen Tank Explosion Tears Down Wall
06/13/09 - 06:42 PM

Erin Hawley - ehawley@wmbb.com
Bay County, Fla:

A dive shop on Thomas Drive accidentally celebrated what the owner called an early July 4th.

Emerald Coast Kiteboarding Dive Shop had an entire wall and window blown out when a reserve oxygen tank exploded Saturday afternoon.

Reserve tanks hold huge amounts of oxygen and are used to fill up dive tanks.

The fire department said that these tanks are supposed to have a valve that tells you when the tank’s pressure is approaching a dangerous level. This tank’s valve malfunctioned and blew into the dive shop building. The owner and workers say they were terrified.

“We thought an airplane crashed into the building, huge concussion shockwave,” says Mike Rush, Emerald Coast Kiteboarding owner. “One guy got cut on his shin that was in the dive shop. It blew concrete all the way across the road. This big tank launched like a torpedo between that wall and tore the wall down.”

There were no serious injuries from the blast.



here's a bigger pic of the hole

 

[jviehe]

I usually go to the Dive Locker. Is PCDC on the same road, but closer to the water?

Yes, right at the Thomas Dr T where you turn left to go to St Andrews.

 

[MRXRAY]

That's what is confusing about the photo. This picture must be taken from behind the shop looking West, but that is the side that has the Surf/Kite shop in it. The Dive Shop is at the other end of the building.
Am I not right here?

 

[jviehe]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...wK_1keBEmMPVv9f-lUBVQA&cbp=12,218.08,,1,-2.84

Its the east side of the building yes.

 

[mike_s]

panama city diveenter - Google Maps

Its the east side of the building yes.

looking at it on Street view, you know, of all the times I've been in that building and even parted in front of that "east side" shop, I've never noticed it being there. (I guess because typically it's because when I've been there, it's been 6:30am half the time).


As for the hole in the back of the building on the east side, I'm no expert on how their building is laid out, but Gomez has taken me back to see their Nitrox system before and I think the PCDC shop "L's" around the other shop. If I remember right, part of their compressor/bank/nitrox system was around to the left when you went in the back. (someone correct me if I'm wrong as it's been a couple years since I've been back there...)

 

[fisheyeview]

This happened a few years ago at Ocean Divers in Key Largo. From what I remember they had a tripple bank of submarine ballast tanks, and the banks at the shop had not been drained and inspected for a long time.

When the bank blew it took out a concrete block wall, and large chunks of the wall flew across the canal. There was a sailboat tied up across the canal that was damaged.

No one was hurt in this case that I can recall. Scarey stuff.