Fire/Arson Investigations : Fire/Arson Investigations
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Re: Fires in Regulators on Portable Oxygen Bottles
Posted by: Barry K (IP Logged)
Date: July 24, 2007 02:39PM
Something to take into account...
Was the gasket an "O" ring (usually a "rubber" ring with a metal, usually brass/copper outer ring) or a crush gasket (plastic)?
Does the ambulance service refill their own O2 bottles?
If they refill their own bottles and use crush gaskets, do they replace the crush gaskets every time they refill the bottle? Or every time they remove the regulator from the bottle?
Did any of the crews that used that regulator report problems with leaky gaskets?
From experience, many crews will keep old crush gaskets "just in case they need one" and will reuse them although crush gaskets are single use only. these gaskets will leak then crews use wrenches to tighten the regulator to the bottle in an effort to seal the leak. Heat from friction might be able to ignite the plastic crush gasket and then the O2 tubing. Also there is a small nipple on the regulator that fits into the stem of the bottle. This nipple can become loose and leak O2 creating friction and heat.
On another note, the private ambulance service that I work for recently had many problems with new crush gaskets failing; sometimes violently.
Barry Karelitz EMT-B CFEI CVFI
Was the gasket an "O" ring (usually a "rubber" ring with a metal, usually brass/copper outer ring) or a crush gasket (plastic)?
Does the ambulance service refill their own O2 bottles?
If they refill their own bottles and use crush gaskets, do they replace the crush gaskets every time they refill the bottle? Or every time they remove the regulator from the bottle?
Did any of the crews that used that regulator report problems with leaky gaskets?
From experience, many crews will keep old crush gaskets "just in case they need one" and will reuse them although crush gaskets are single use only. these gaskets will leak then crews use wrenches to tighten the regulator to the bottle in an effort to seal the leak. Heat from friction might be able to ignite the plastic crush gasket and then the O2 tubing. Also there is a small nipple on the regulator that fits into the stem of the bottle. This nipple can become loose and leak O2 creating friction and heat.
On another note, the private ambulance service that I work for recently had many problems with new crush gaskets failing; sometimes violently.
Barry Karelitz EMT-B CFEI CVFI
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