Welding PSA: DON'T DO THAT!

[fleming442]

One man in critical condition following fuel tank explosion in Hagerstown

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (WDVM) — Hagerstown officials are investigating a fuel tank explosion that happened at Advantage Landscape and Construction in the area of 12936 Salem Ave in Hagerstown on Thu…

www.localdvm.com

Deputy State Fire Marshals say a 45-year-old man suffered from burns and traumatic injuries after he attempted to weld a 100-gallon portable fuel tank to the rear of a flatbed truck. Authorities say the vapors within the tank exploded, which led to the victim becoming engulfed in flames and throwing another employee, who was on the rear of the truck, to the ground.

Bystanding employees witnessed the incident and discharged a portable fire extinguisher on the victim who was welding. Officials report the 45-year-old man was airlifted to Johns Hopkins Bayview Burn Center and remains in critical condition.

According to investigators, approximately 20-gallons of off-road diesel fuel was inside the tank when it exploded. Detectives continue to investigate this incident.

 

[Tomeal]

Dumba$$

 

[-dw-]

There has to be a video

 

[Supercharged111]

Strange that diesel went off like that?

 

[64nailhead]

Strange that diesel went off like that?

The issue with diesel, or any heavy oil (distillate), is that once it goes off, the fire bomb is 10-20 times worse than a gas explosion. Gas explosions are fast and go out, distillate explosions just won't stop once they are started.

Gas knocks you down, burns the hair off from you, makes your ears hurt and will be a memory a year later. #1 or #2 fuel will remind you every day for the rest of your life of your mistake and/or stupidity unfortunately.

 

[Burd]

He should have lookEd Inside the tank first with a Bic lighter to see if it was empty. 😏

 

[melloelky]

#nothingsuprisesmeanymorecantfixstupid

 

[lilbowtie]

Back in the day when I was young and broke (the 60's) I fixed my gas tank. The first thing I did was take it to the quarter car wash and wash it out the best I could. Then filled it with water leaving an air pocket where the fix was being done. I then ran the exhaust from a car into the neck which I was fixing. Before even trying to fix it I ran the torch across several times with my arm extended and head turned the other way. Really not a thing to do and would NEVER recommend it. Caulk it up to young and dumb and not worth it.

 

[pagrunt]

Another point for Darwin. Should of been posted here.

https://gbodyforum.com/threads/darwinism-at-work.80807/#post-828103

 

[g0thiac]

This kind of sh*t is exactly why I was scared to fix the trunk pan in my Caprice.