Natural gas can leak and lead to a gas explosion if there is a source of ignition. Gas explosions may lead to serious burn injuries including third degree burns part I, part II and smoke inhalation injuries. Appliances that may leak gas and lead to gas explosion include:
- Ovens, cook tops
- Gas generators.
- Space heaters
- Water heaters
- Dryers
- Outdoor grills
- Central heating and cooling systems
- Fireplaces
- Gas lights
If you smell gas at your home follow these safety tips:
- Notify the people in your house and leave the house immediately.
- Don’t turn lights on or off as it may act as an ignition source.
- Don’t light a match
- Don’t switch on any electrical device.
- Don’t use cell phones
- After leaving your home, alert your gas company and the fire department about the problem
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When an accident happens liability can fall on any of the following entities:
- The gas company
- The appliance seller
- The appliance distributer
- The appliance manufacturer
- The person or company who recently installed the appliance or repaired the appliance.
- The landlord.
Accidents due to gas explosion may be prevented or reduced by frequent checks and maintenance of appliances by a professional. Don’t try to repair a leak yourself.
Properties of natural gas:
- Natural gas is lighter than air.
- Natural gas has no odor (odorless). A minute amount of odorant such as t-butyl mercaptan, with a rotting like smell is added to the odorless gas, so that leaks can be detected before a fire or explosion occurs. Sometimes a related compound such as thiophane is used, with a rotten-egg smell.
- Natural gas has no color (colorless).
- Natural gas has a narrow combustion limit (meaning the % of natural gas in the air by volume must fall within a certain amount for an explosion to occur).
For more information about natural gas see the following link.
Kramer and Pollack, LLP; are VERY well versed in all aspects of representing burn injury victims. They have handled a multitude of burn injury cases ranging from hot water scald burns, to stove tipping cases to explosion cases. They are competent, experienced and very thorough.
This information is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice; it should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Call 911 for all medical emergencies.