Airstream Accident on Instagram

[flyingcloud]

Does anyone know anything about this accident?

Photo by jonnobutler • Instagram

The image is haunting and makes me feel like we shouldn't drive with our propane on.

I hope the people involved are ok.

[cms4140]

Here is another pic as referenced in comments: Photo by krimonster • Instagram

[247stream]

OMG, thanks for posting...that's something I've never thought about and apparently should!

[Drathaar]

Does anyone know the root cause?

[eubank]

I don't know the cause, but there's was obviously a very hot fire at the front. I wonder if maybe the accident punctured one of the propane cylinders, resulting in fire.

Lynn

[mefly2]

Yep, that would be my guess as well ... propane tank rupture ... possibly as a result of an accident / hit?

[mike warren]

We`d like to know more about what happened,too. We run with the propane tanks on for the `frig, hope we`re not flirting with disaster.

[wahoonc]

A vehicle fire could have caused a similar disaster, battery shorting causes some fires too. Where are the batteries on that model of trailer? Not enough information to draw any real conclusion other than there was a hot fire.

Aaron

[Skater]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

A vehicle fire could have caused a similar disaster, battery shorting causes some fires too. Where are the batteries on that model of trailer? Not enough information to draw any real conclusion other than there was a hot fire.

Exactly my thoughts.

Mythbusters has taught me how difficult it is to puncture a propane tank - they really have to work at it when they do it. I've heard stories of propane tanks falling off campers at speed with no damage aside from a few scratches. Of course, anything is possible. But, I suspect if it were a propane fire (say, from a broken line), there'd be a LOT less of that camper left to look at.

There's no way to know without more info.

[jdalrymple]

Obviousl the trailer was in a wreck of some short, it is sitting on the lane divider.

Propane and Compressed Natural Gas powered vehicles operate on the roads with the associated tanks open all the time.

Regards,

JD

[MrUKToad]

My immediate thought was that the propane line under the A-frame was broken as the trailer has gone up onto the barrier. If the tank valves were open, that would cause a fire like that. However, that's just a guess and we have no way of knowing what actually happened. Personally, I have always turned the propane off when traveling.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by MrUKToad

My immediate thought was that the propane line under the A-frame was broken as the trailer has gone up onto the barrier. If the tank valves were open, that would cause a fire like that. However, that's just a guess and we have no way of knowing what actually happened. Personally, I have always turned the propane off when traveling.

That is very plausible. Tank valves wouldn't have to be open, however, if there was already a fire from another cause— we don't see the tow vehicle at all, so maybe that's where the fire started? A propane tank subjected to heat will have the propane inside the tank vaporize, which then would have vented through the tank's pressure relief valve when the pressure got too high. If it vented into an existing fire, the vented propane would have ignited and burned like a blowtorch.

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

That is very plausible. Tank valves wouldn't have to be open, however, if there was already a fire from another cause— we don't see the tow vehicle at all, so maybe that's where the fire started? A propane tank subjected to heat will have the propane inside the tank vaporize, which then would have vented through the tank's pressure relief valve when the pressure got too high. If it vented into an existing fire, the vented propane would have ignited and burned like a blowtorch.

Indeed it would

Is there any resource available that gives RV owners an idea of what causes these crashes? We all speculate but some facts would be good.

[dznf0g]

Don't OPD valves shut down under "large flow rate" scenarios?

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Don't OPD valves shut down under "large flow rate" scenarios?

not the OPD Valve (which is a regulator), the pressure relief valve. All pressure tanks have one, specifically to keep tanks from exploding due to excessive internal pressure. There's a specific name for the phenomenon: Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion, aka BLEVE, and it's a firefighter's nightmare.

The curious can read more about propane tank pressure relief valves here: Propane Safety Relief Valve - LP Gas Tank Pressure Relief

[aftermath]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

not the OPD Valve (which is a regulator), the pressure relief valve. All pressure tanks have one, specifically to keep tanks from exploding due to excessive internal pressure. There's a specific name for the phenomenon: Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion, aka BLEVE, and it's a firefighter's nightmare.

The curious can read more about propane tank pressure relief valves here: Propane Safety Relief Valve - LP Gas Tank Pressure Relief

Thanks for this. I appreciate the information.

Since speculation is always fun, how about this. The TV had a major accident where the gas tank ruptured and caught fire. The fire heated the tanks to a point where the pressure release valves opened thus turning them into torches. Keep in mind that in this scenario it wouldn't matter if your tanks were open or closed.

You see, you can make up any story to fit your purpose. It would be nice to find out what actually happened. I doubt that a spontaneous fire caused by open propane tanks would have resulted in the trailer being on top of the guard rail. But, who knows?

[reddogfox]

Just bumping the thread to see if anyone living near Mesquite Nevada can provide more information about the cause of the accident and fire? The accident appears to have occurred Monday May 06, 2013 possibly on I-15. The Airstream trailer appears to be fairly new and looks like either a 25' or 27' FB. The fire does not appear to have been started by any of the trailer's propane fired appliances. The aluminum shell next to the furnace and refrigerator on the roadside and the curbside stove are unburned. There is burn damage forward of the water heater but other than the missing door the water heater looks undamaged. I hope everyone in the tow vehicle came through unhurt!

[gypsybanker]

I had a fire in my argosy not long after I bought it. The cause was a ruptured leaking propane line under the trailer that could of been bumped coming off a steep down hill driveway in to the street. Luckily I had it parked and was inside making lunch and getting ready for a hike when I started smelling propane and went outside to shut it off when I saw smoke coming out of the vent. The fire was below my sink in the cupboard near the hot water heater and my frig. I was able to throw water at it and put it out. I of course have a fire estinguisher now. We were geting ready to leave my truck (when the fire started) and trailer at the walmart in Flaggstaff and head up for a day trip to the Grand Canyon in my friends car. I could of come back to a burnt crisp in the Walmart lot, or been pulling a ball of fire, or it could of happened when I was sleeping. Luckily there was an RV repair place down the interstate a bit who replaced my lines that same day. Close call!