Boat explosion - Cozumel

[CuzzA]

Someone forgot to use blowers to vent off bilge

Yep.

it was revealed that a boat exploded after having loaded fuel into the stationary tank
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Often times, but not always, in vapor explosions there isn't extensive fire damage. Just a big quick fireball that quickly extinguishes itself as long as the fuel tank doesn't rupture. You can bet the expansion that occurred in the bilge has left that vessel with extensive damage and will need to be gutted. Stringer and deck separation for sure. Cap is cracked to hell. That boat is f'ed.

 

[CuzzA]

Here's an example.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've been on some boats when a burst disc blows and those tanks skitter all over the place and we all jump out of the way more than a couple of times. It could smash a few things and breaks some legs but that tank is not going to crack a boat the way the photos show. It was some other explosion that wasn't a scuba tank.

 

[kammel78]

A burst disk going off would not cause that much damage. I had one go off years ago. They release air in all directions. My tank didn’t even fall down.

Not necessarily. If the tank is sitting against something like a wall or the bed of a truck it will absolutely go off like a rocket. Watched one literally fly up out of a truck bed and land 5 feet away.

 

[CT-Rich]

If you have any doubts about what a pressure vessel failure can do, check these out…
Scuba tank explodes, kills man - CNN Video

 

[Jack Hammer]

Too many possibilities, one is a scuba tank could have fallen over shearing the valve

 

[DandyDon]

From a thread on the Cozumel forums...

The dive masters had been complaining of gas fumes for a few weeks. The space under the floor was not properly vented. There was gasoline that had been spilled or leaked and became trapped under the floor. I have a video of the aftermath. Tanks were thrown everywhere. The boat was broken amidships. One tank ended up on top of the sun shade. I am friends with one of the dive masters that is usually on that particular boat. Their warnings about the gas fumes were not heeded.

 

[tarponchik]

Which dive shop marks their tanks with SDU?

 

[DandyDon]

Which dive shop marks their tanks with SDU?

SCUBA DU, maybe, as mentioned in the second article.

 

[Hojo in SC]

I too wondered how the tank got up on top of the canopy, did they store some up there and one fall down...if the valve is broken, the tank will shoot like a cannon and can go through cement walls.