Are gas explosion fears justified?

By Tom Warren BBC News

Andrew Herd was killed in an acetylene explosion

Fires on sites where acetylene gas canisters are stored are causing major disruption in towns and cities across England, evidence suggests.

But why is it happening and what can be done to prevent it?

In October last year more than 1,100 people in Sussex, Gloucestershire and Birmingham evacuated their properties following fires at sites where acetylene cylinders were thought to be stored.

Hundreds in Sussex ended up sleeping at a holiday camp.

In November, 150 people in Poole, Dorset, were told to leave their homes and spend the night in a community centre after a garage containing the gas was set alight.

We would certainly discourage individuals from keeping acetylene on their premises Doug Thornton, British Compressed Gases Association

A week later fire crews in Hyde, Manchester, closed the A57 as a precaution following a fire in a car showroom where cylinders were kept.

And in January this year dozens of homes were evacuated in Wokingham, Berkshire, after another fire in a garage where acetylene was stored.

These incidents are a snapshot of the disruption related to acetylene in recent months.

Kept at sites across the country, acetylene is a relatively cheap and versatile gas used by people like welders and mechanics.

It burns at 3,300C, a temperature hotter than any other combination of fuel gases, meaning it can cut metal quickly and is extremely useful for welding.

Acetylene is a portable gas which is relatively cheap

But it can be lethal if ignited as the cylinders are highly explosive.

The gas can still pose a risk after a fire is extinguished, as the acetylene inside the cylinders can begin to chemically decompose if the blaze was hot enough, effectively creating a time-bomb.

In 2003 new guidelines were issued for fire crews dealing with incidents at sites where it is thought the gas could be present.

They say a 200m exclusion zone should be created and the cylinders should be cooled for 24 hours.

But acetylene has been in use for decades, so do the 2003 guidelines go too far and cause unnecessary upheaval?

In the same month as the incidents in Sussex, Gloucestershire and Birmingham, North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle demanded more guidance for workers carrying the gas.

Ban enforced

It followed the death of welder Andrew Herd, 33, when acetylene he was transporting in the back of a van exploded in Wolsingham.

Three weeks after the incident, the Health and Safety Executive banned Mr Herd's employer, Ward Bros Plant Hire Ltd, of Darlington, from carrying the cylinders in closed vehicles.

In July 2007 Transport for London ordered businesses operating on its land to stop using the gas.

Acetylene caused huge damage in the Wolsingham explosion

A spokesman said: "For us, in a city with London's density, it can cause severe disruption."

He added a boom in construction over the past five years could account for the problems.

London Fire Brigade also believes this could be a factor. In 2007 the brigade dealt with twice as many call-outs involving the gas than in the previous year.

But a spokesman said new ways of tackling incidents, including the use of remotely-operated vehicles, had dramatically reduced the level of upheaval, partly by cutting the time the 200m cordon stays in place.

Research carried out by the brigade shows that, after fires have been put out, acetylene may not be as big a risk as previously thought.

Doug Thornton, of the British Compressed Gases Association, which represents manufacturers, said the UK's guidelines for dealing with acetylene were "excessive".

He claimed disruption caused by acetylene was decreasing.

And he added, if stored correctly by companies, the gas was safe, but that it should not be kept in sheds or garages.

"We would certainly discourage individuals from keeping acetylene on their premises, it's not a good idea at all."

A spokeswoman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: "For some processes there are alternatives to the use of acetylene.

"Firms should do robust risk assessments, it's really important they have the correct procedures in place for storage and transportation."

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