Pollution
Humain
Environnement
Economique

At 11:50 pm., 16.10 tonnes of propane were released over a period of 2 hrs 10mins from the emergency drain valve of a full-laden road tanker parked in open yard in the parking area of a distribution depot which is a top-tier seveso establishment.

The vehicle fitter was attempting to take a sample of propane from a fully-laden tanker using an in-house designed and constructed adaptor and valve assembly screwed onto the tanker emergency drain valve outlet to drain sample into a bucket. The employee had connected and attempted to use the assembly but nothing came out, he then closed the tanker globe valve and removed the special assembly to investigate problems. Propane spilled out because the globe valve had not been fully closed. The vehicle fitter received minor frost burns to cheek and arm; fortunately, the gas cloud did not ignite. Substantial quantity of propane went into surface water drains and reached the oil/water interceptors, where it flashed off. The Pressure lifted interceptor covers causing some damage to undersides of adjacent parked vehicles (estimated 7500 euros). The structural inspection of interceptors using cameras will cost 15000 euros. The emergency response team attended from nearby refinery ; port authority and neighbouring establishments were alerted, but the off-site emergency plan was not implemented. The situation was under control after 6 h.

The LPG sampling from road tankers was carried out occasionally, but more frequently recently, in response to customer complaints of water being present in the propane. The controlling authorities underlined the unsafe system of work (LPG sampling was prohibited) and the insufficient risk assessment.