A Technical Explanation of Recently Reported Fire Incidents Regarding LP Gas Leakages Across Media

In the recent past, there have been a few fire incidents reported regarding LP Gas leakages across social and other media, and some misleading information has been spread that these leaks are caused by the composition of the LP Gas filled in cylinders. Certain incidents reported in domestic households and hotels have been highlighted by both traditional and social media. But incidents regarding gas leakages have been reported for decades since the date consumers started using LP Gas in Sri Lanka, and many of them are due to incorrect LP Gas usage and inferior equipment usage. It’s a rare occurrence that incidents reported are caused by leaks from the cylinder valve or canister.

We can assure you that the recently reported incidents did not occur due to the composition of the LP Gas in the cylinders. Companies that import LP Gas to the country assure that all imported LP Gas and cylinders are aligned and adhered to the standards imposed by the Sri Lanka Standard Institute SLS 712-1998 for LP Gas and SLS 1178-2013 for LP Gas cylinders. In addition to that, LAUGFS Gas follows its specifications related to LP Gas and metal cylinders and rechecks them against the given standards and specifications to ensure the safety of our valued customers.

As mentioned in media, companies cannot yield additional profits or gains by increasing the propane composition of the LP Gas mix. Propane is an expensive gas compared to butane. Last year, propane and butane prices were equal for only two months, but in the past, propane prices were much higher than butane. Certain social media reported that cylinders and valves are not capable of handling the high pressure inside the cylinder created by the additional propane. But the cylinders and valves are built to store LP Gas at a high inside pressure.

• When the propane composition remains at 30%-40%, the pressure inside the cylinder is around 5 – 6 bars.
• When the propane composition remains at 45%-50%, the pressure inside the cylinder is around 6 – 7.5 bars.
• When the propane composition remains at 100%, the pressure inside the cylinder remains between 12-14 bars.

But the LP Gas metal cylinders and valves are built to hold 30 bars of inside pressure with quality material. Also, the additional safety valve connected to the main cylinder valve releases the inside pressure of the cylinder at the level of 26 bars.

Most of the accidents reported in the recent past were mainly due to the customer’s incorrect LP Gas habits and also substandard equipment usage. To avoid such gas leakages and accidents, customers can take precautionary actions such as,

• Using standard equipment with LP Gas, continue to be vigilant to check the condition of the equipment and maintain it at an optimum level.
• Removing hazardous electrical items from close proximity of the LP Gas cylinder and the system.
• Keep the cylinder in a well-ventilated area and keep the environment surrounding the cylinder free to relocate the cylinder in an emergency.
• When identifying an LP Gas leak, remove or do not allow any ignition sources to be activated or deactivated.

LAUGFS Gas is a local investment that was driven by uncompromising values of ensuring customer safety by providing a quality product. LAUGFS Gas will never compromise customers’ safety for any financial gain, and all operations and product sourcing are only done by adhering to local and international standards and specifications.