When families contact our lawyers after a gas explosion, they need help. A gas line may have caused an explosion in their home; a propane tank might have been punctured and injured their child; or a gas pipe may have ruptured on a work site and caused the death of a loved one. Most gas explosions have one thing in common: they could have been prevented. Our gas explosion attorney helps families struggling after tragedy strikes.

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Propane Gas Explosions

Propane gas is a powerful, odorless fuel which is used for a number of purposes, including home heating, water heating, cooking and barbecue grills. These gases must be handled with care according to industry safety regulations.

Propane is typically delivered in pressurized tanks. As a gas, it is much heavier than air and will pool along the floor and in low areas. When a leak occurs, propane is highly flammable and can be easily ignited by fire, smoking materials, electric sparks or static electricity. Because it is odorless, it uses a chemical additive, ethyl mercaptan, which emits a “rotten eggs” odor when there is a leak, warning those in the area to evacuate.

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Propane gas explosions can occur anywhere propane is improperly handled, including private homes, commercial buildings, and construction sites. Many propane explosions happen on construction sites. They can occur when piping is not tightened, when there is a leak, when a company fails to follow safety regulations or when there is a defect with the chemical additive.

 

In some cases, victims have no warning before a propane explosion because they never smell the chemical odorant. The odorant may never have been added or may have lost its scent, a condition known as “odorant fade.” With propane gas, odorant fade can result when a delivery company does not properly fill the tank to capacity and when a new propane tank is not properly treated, leaving it with moisture and rust.

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Natural Gas Explosions

Natural gas, which primarily consists of methane, is delivered to homes and businesses through underground gas lines. Leaks leading to explosions can occur when gas appliances, heating systems, and water heaters break. But more often, they occur when aging underground pipelines are not maintained or are struck by construction work.

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Like propane, natural gas uses a chemical odorant as a safety precaution to assist in the detection of leaks. Odorant fade – when gas loses the additive’s scent – can also occur in natural gas.

With natural gas, odorant fade can occur during periods of low gas flow through the pipeline. When new pipes are not properly conditioned, a process called adsorption can also occur and strip the gas of its odor.

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With natural gas, odorant fade can occur during periods of low gas flow through the pipeline. When new pipes are not properly conditioned, a process called adsorption can also occur and strip the gas of its odor.

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Contact An Experienced Louisiana Explosion Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been injured, it is critical to contact an experienced explosion lawyer.  Call Weintraub Law today for a free consultation.