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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

fire from a CHG2 tube trailer

Event

Event ID
1158
Quality
Description
A trailer carrying compressed hydrogen tubes took fire at the rear while parked at a warehouse.
The trailer-truck was carrying 130,000 standard cubic feet of hydrogen (300 kg), and was parked back to back to another trailer without truck. The driver heard a noise and saw flames and plumes of black smoke at the rear of the trailer. The other trailer was not affected.
The causes of the fire are unknown. The news did not reveal either the nature of the operations ongoing when the incident occurred. From the video and the position of the two trailers, it could be speculate that hydrogen transfer was being prepared, ongoing, or just terminated.
The fire brigades intervened with several cars, ordered a quarter mile evacuation area and fought the fire with a water lance.
Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Hydrogen Release and Ignition
Nature of the consequences
Fire (No additional details provided)
Macro-region
North America
Country
United States
Date
Main component involved?
Valve (Generic)
How was it involved?
Rupture
Initiating cause
Unknown
Root causes
Unknown (No additional details provided)
Root CAUSE analysis
The IMMEDIATE CAUSE was unspecified relase and ignition of hydrogen from the rear of the tralier.

From the location of the major fire damage and the fact that the burn traces indicate the roduction of a jet flame, one could speculate on the failure of a valve or joint in the pressure control cabinet.

The ROOT CAUSE is unknown.

Facility

Application
Hydrogen Transport And Distribution
Sub-application
CGH2 tube trailer
Hydrogen supply chain stage
Hydrogen Transport (No additional details provided)
All components affected
trailer
Location type
Open
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
0
Number of fatalities
0

Event Nature

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Released amount
300
Presumed ignition source
Not reported

JRC assessment