Projectile Tank Flies Through Needham Recycling & Transfer Station

[RadHal]

Not sure where this person left their common sense, but a scary situation occurred this weekend in my hometown of Needham, MA. Lessons to be learned here are obvious. As reported by News - Needham, MA - Needham Times

"A scuba tank discarded at the Recycling and Transfer Station on Jan. 7 reportedly smashed through the wall of the main office building at the RTS after its top valve was knocked off, police said.

The RTS superintendent reportedly told police a man dropped off an aluminum diver’s tank in the metal pile earlier that day. The man reportedly dropped off diver’s tanks at the RTS in the past and was told not to do so since the tanks require special handling. An RTS employee reportedly removed the tank from the metal pile and put it by the main office building for further processing.

At some point, the tank apparently fell over, which knocked off the top valve of the tank. Since the tank was under pressure, it was sent flying into the RTS building, going through the building’s metal outer shell, through the half-inch of drywall, pushed aside a chair at the desk and struck the wall to the rear of the office. There were no employees in the office at the time of the accident."

Full story at Scuba tank flies into Needham Recycling and Transfer Station, smashes through wall - Needham, MA - Needham Times

 

[reefseal]

So that's where all the Luxfer recalled tanks end up. I thought most were on Craigslist sold to unsuspecting teen agers to use for filling paintball guns.

 

[xroirat]

Great. Now some representative will propose a new bill to license scuba tank owners to insure we know how to dispose of tanks properly.

 

[AfterDark]

Great. Now some representative will propose a new bill to license scuba tank owners to insure we know how to dispose of tanks properly.

And / or training for the transfer station employees on how to recognize a scuba tank, why it should be laid down and how to turn the valve on.

 

[inked59]

another reason that we divers are taught to NEVER leave our tanks standing unattended!

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I'd be willing to bet that some clown hit the valve with a hammer to make it fly. Many thousands of tanks fall over during typical dive operations each year and we are to beleive that this ONE tank fell over and the valve snapped off?

Possible, but I strongly suspect an idiot was involved in this. BTW, has anybody heard from George Bush lately?

 

[Rocketmahn]

"There were no employees in the office at the time of the accident."

HaHaHA - of course not they were all outside watching the guy win the bet that he could knock the valve off!!!

 

[ScubaSarus]

May be as a form of idiot proofing, tanks should have a sticker warning "contents are under pressure".

 

[AfterDark]

"There were no employees in the office at the time of the accident."

HaHaHA - of course not they were all outside watching the guy win the bet that he could knock the valve off!!!

Somebody brought the tank into the office and left it standing up. Kinda like parking a car and leaving it in neutral. Maybe the under pressure sticker should also read don't leave tank standing when unattended.

 

[EGad]

"Hey guys, I saw this on Mythbusters, should be fun!"