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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Roll over of a CGH2 cylinders trailer

Event

Event ID
409
Quality
Description
A semi-trailer truck carrying compressed hydrogen cylinders skidded and overturned at a railway underpass due to excessive speed, blocking both lanes.
The cylinders were empty, with still a pressure of 20 bar. The load was inspected by chemical experts, who performed a controlled release reducing the pressure to 1 bar. The recovery of the vehicle and its cargo followed. The recovery operations continued from morning until the afternoon.
The accident also caused disruptions to rail traffic. For safety reasons, the local train service was suspended. Rail passengers had to endure delays of up to half an hour, by using a bus service replacement.
Police estimate the property damage at approximately 100,000 Swiss francs.
Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
No Hydrogen Release
Nature of the consequences
Macro-region
Europe
Country
Switzerland
Date
Main component involved?
Lh2 Tanker
How was it involved?
Manual Venting
Initiating cause
Impact, Rollover, Crash
Root causes
Root CAUSE analysis
INITIATING CAUSE was a traffic accident. In absence of information on drivers and driver behaviours, the ROOT CAUSE can be attributed generically to a human error (excessive speed of the driver).

Facility

Application
Hydrogen Transport And Distribution
Sub-application
CGH2 cylinders truck
Hydrogen supply chain stage
Hydrogen Transport (No additional details provided)
All components affected
roll over
Location type
Open
Operational condition
Pre-event occurrences
The CGH2 cylinders were almost empty

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
0
Number of fatalities
0
Currency
Swiss Franc
Property loss (onsite)
100000

Event Nature

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Release duration
unknown
Actual pressure (MPa)
2
Design pressure (MPa)
20
Presumed ignition source
No release

References

Reference & weblink

20min.ch online news of 16 July 2004. <br />
https://www.20min.ch/story/mit-gasflaschen-beladener-lastwagen-umgekipp… />
(accessed 02 February 2005, in August 2025 not available anymore)

JRC assessment