Petroleum & Gas Inspectorate | Alert | No.117 V V1 | 05 September 2024

Inspecting LPG cylinders prior to filling

What happened?

A house in Brisbane incurred significant damage when liquid LPG escaped from a 45 kg cylinder and formed a gas cloud.

The gas cloud then ignited causing fire damage to the dwelling, a timber boundary fence and the neighbouring property.

The homeowner was in the residence at the time and upon hearing a noise, went to investigate to find fire coming out from under the LPG cylinder. The quick response by the homeowner reduced the effect of the fire and limited its impact on the structure.

How did it happen?

The LPG cylinder was delivered to the property about 3 months prior to the incident. Initial investigations have identified that one of the 45 kg exchange LPG cylinders was corroded on the base of the cylinder, causing a pinhole leak of liquid LPG.

It is suspected a hot water system located outside the hazardous zone of the cylinders (about 3.5 m away) was the source of ignition.

No one was injured in the fire, but the house received substantial damage.

Key issues

• Testing identified severe corrosion and two pinholes on the base of the cylinder.
• The cylinder was part of an extended (15 year) testing program. It was last tested in May 2009.
• It is unclear if the cylinder was fully inspected prior to filling in accordance with the requirements of the preferred safety requirement being AS 2030.5 Gas cylinders – Part 5: Filling, inspection and testing of refillable cylinders.

Recommendations

Fuel Gas Delivery Networks that fill LPG cylinders:

• must check all cylinders for damage and severe corrosion and are required to verify that all LPG cylinders are in a serviceable condition prior to filling
• should develop and implement a process for the inspecting and checking of cylinders prior to filling and include a process to manage cylinders that are unserviceable
• are required to ensure that all risks associated with filling cylinders are as low as reasonably practicable by reviewing safety management systems.

Investigations are ongoing and further information may be published as it becomes available. The information in this publication is what is known at the time of writing.

We issue Safety Notices to draw attention to the occurrence of a serious incident, raise awareness of risks, and prompt assessment of your existing controls.

References and further information

AS/NZS 2030.5:2009, Gas cylinders, Part 5: Filling, inspection and testing of refillable cylinders.

• Clauses 6.3, 9.4