Tank explosion - San Pedro Belize

[DMDavid]

It would be nice to receive the final analysis of what caused the tank to explode.
I personally no longer keep aluminum tanks that are older than two hydros because of my belief that the repetative filling cycles cause too much stress and wear on a soft metal tank made of aluminum.

My condolences to all his family and friends.

 

[Clammy]

Gah, I know these guys. I dove with them for a week. Hector was my boat captain/DM for the first few days. They were a lot of fun =/ (Owner is a jerk though).

 

[rjk75]

I've never been to Belize and am so sorry to hear of this loss of a fellow diver. Anybody know if this tank was a customer's or the dive shop's?

 

[Clammy]

My guess is a the shops tank. They have MANY and it'd be quite a hassle to bring your own on to the island.

 

[heavierthanlead]

I've never been to Belize and am so sorry to hear of this loss of a fellow diver. Anybody know if this tank was a customer's or the dive shop's?

Do you know of anyone who's ever traveled internationally, to dive recreationally, that's ever brought their own??

 

[ScubaSteve]

Do you know of anyone who's ever traveled internationally, to dive recreationally, that's ever brought their own??

Considering this was a DM and not a customer (as I read it anyway) it is a bit more of a valid question. I still doubt it was their own since DM's use shop tanks everywhere I have been BUT it is not like this was a guest in town for a weekend.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

Considering this was a DM and not a customer (as I read it anyway) it is a bit more of a valid question. I still doubt it was their own since DM's use shop tanks everywhere I have been BUT it is not like this was a guest in town for a weekend.

I figured he was filling ALL the tanks, and one failed. I didn't see any reason to think it was the tank he dove.

 

[rjk75]

Do you know of anyone who's ever traveled internationally, to dive recreationally, that's ever brought their own??

Could've been a local diver living there with his or her own tank, right?

 

[diverrex]

Could've been a local diver living there with his or her own tank, right?

Could have been I suppose but very unlikely. Very few local divers there other than dive pros.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Can't see the top, but none obvious in this pic.

Okay, but this was an oxygen tank which exploded when the valve was being removed with some pressure behind it:

This is the top of that tank, with charring and the area of the valve, showing melted threads:

The valve showed charring:

So you really cannot tell from the bottom of the tank. I emphasize that these photos are NOT associated with the explosion this thread is about, but are being used to explain the need to see the entire tank and valve. These images are screen shots I got from this You Tube video on an Oxygen E-Tank Explosion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lw_fhNAIQc

SeaRat