A house in Wisconsin was virtually leveled due to an LP gas explosion. The family was away on vacation at the time. The pix show how powerful the explosion was. Interestingly, there was no fire involved. Kind of makes you think twice about propane safety.http://www.wxow.com/story/22303339/2013/05/20/home

The same thing happened in Whitefish, Montana, many years ago.It was determined that a Propane-powered pickup had been parked in a closed garage, with the propane valve left on. A leak developed somewhere in the system, and when the propane level reached the pilot light on the water heater, the garage and the house disappeared! The explosion broke windows several blocks away.The same thing could occur with a natural gas leak, or an acetylene leak, or a leak of ANY gaseous fuel. LEAKS are a BAD thing!

That's why they installed propane detectors in RVs. Most will shut off the gas between the tank and the inside if fumes are present besides setting off an alarm.

Please don't let this turn into another 'driving with the propane' on thread!!

The same thing happened due to a natural gas leak in my parents' neighborhood. An entire house blew up. Killed the lady that lived there.

A propane refill class was just held about 15 yards from where I'm typing,I do not know the explosive power of Propane off hand but I do know it is serious. however for the maximum effect, be it propane, Natural gas or gasoline vapor, you need the proper mixture of Air and Fuel.. once that happens, add an ignition source, A spark from a switch opening or closing, a cigarette ash, a lighter, two pieces of metal striking each other, a hot wire. And.... Well, when the instructor ask what happens.. I answered "you land one county over" he liked my answer (The proper answer was an explosion but I put it better).That said.. I have lived with propane many many years, Grew up with it in fact, and never in 59 years of living with propane (I'm 62 by the way) and natural gas as well, have I had a problem. Came close one time... but replaced the defective device before the problem manifested. (Discovered the problem while loading it on the scrap truck that hauled it away via visual inspection.. the best way to find one I might add)

Propane safety | Good Sam Community

2oldman
Explorer II
May 21, 2013
Please don't let this turn into another 'driving with the propane' on thread!!
past-MIdirector
Explorer
May 21, 2013
That's why they installed propane detectors in RVs. Most will shut off the gas between the tank and the inside if fumes are present besides setting off an alarm.
mowermech
Explorer
May 21, 2013
The same thing happened in Whitefish, Montana, many years ago.
It was determined that a Propane-powered pickup had been parked in a closed garage, with the propane valve left on. A leak developed somewhere in the system, and when the propane level reached the pilot light on the water heater, the garage and the house disappeared! The explosion broke windows several blocks away.
The same thing could occur with a natural gas leak, or an acetylene leak, or a leak of ANY gaseous fuel. LEAKS are a BAD thing!

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