Event
- Event ID
- 209
- Quality
- Description
- The accident occurred during the maintenance of a sulphuric acid storage tank in an industry for the fertilizers production. The maintenance works consisted in cutting operations (to remove some plates fastened with bolts) by using oxyacetilenic flame on the storage tank.
The flame ignited hydrogen formed inside the storage tank.
The explosion hurled the tank over a hangar, demolishing two other tanks (also containing sulphuric acid) and causing the escape of the product which invaded the basin of containment. The two men who were performing the cutting operation died. The released sulphuric acid evaporated from the basin originating a toxic cloud which dispersed without consequences for the population. The basin invaded by the sulphuric acid was emptied and neutralized with sodium carbonate in order to avoid that sulphuric acid could corrode the ammonia piping inside the basin itself. - Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- Macro-region
- Europe
- Country
- Unknown
- Date
- Main component involved?
- Chemical Storage Tank (H2so4)
- How was it involved?
- Internal Explosion (H2-Air Mixture)
- Initiating cause
- Accidental Hydrogen Formation
- Root causes
- Root CAUSE analysis
- On the internal surface of a tank containing sulphuric acid a corrosion phenomenon associated with the accumulation of hydrogen occurred owing to poor maintenance. The hydrogen was then ignited by the oxyacetylenic flame. The hydrogen was then ignited by the oxyacetylenic flame used by two workers for cutting operations.
Facility
- Application
- Chemical Industry
- Sub-application
- Fertilisers production
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
- sulphuric acid storage tank, cutting tool, oxyacetilenic flame
- Location type
- Unknown
- Location description
- Industrial Area
- Operational condition
- Pre-event occurrences
- The accident occurred during the maintenance of a sulphuric acid storage tank in an industry for the fertilizers production. The maintenance works consisted in cutting operations (to remove some plates fastened with bolts) by using oxyacetilenic flame on the storage tank.
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Number of fatalities
- 2
- Post-event summary
- The basin invaded by the sulphuric acid was emptied and neutralized with sodium carbonate in order to avoid that sulphuric acid could corrode the ammonia piping inside the basin itself.
- Emergency action
- Before the local fire brigade arrived, plant volunteer first responders cared for the injured. CSB did not report any fire fighting action.
Lesson Learnt
- Lesson Learnt
Too few details are known to be able to draw a specific lesson learnt from this event. However, this page reports general lessons learnt and the evolution of this type of hazard prevention:
http://www.sulphuric-acid.com/sulphuric-acid-on-the-web/Hydrogen-Safety.htm.
This report goes well in details of single cases:
http://www.sulphuric-acid.com/sulphuric-acid-on-the-web/Acid%20Engineering%20&%20Consulting%20Inc.%20-%20Leonard%20J.%20Friedman.pdf
Event Nature
- Release type
- Gas-liquid mixture
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2,
H2SO4 - Presumed ignition source
- Open flame
- Deflagration
- N
- High pressure explosion
- N
- High voltage explosion
- N
References
- Reference & weblink
From public part of MARS database
JRC assessment
- Sources categories
- eMARS
