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hunter

(40,703 posts)

20. My back-of-the-envelope calculation says it *could* be a gas explosion...

Mon Nov 12, 2012, 04:52 PM

Nov 2012

... but conditions would have to be exactly right.

A large volume of the house would have to be filled with an explosive gas-air mixture. How that could happen I can't guess. There would have to be quite a bit wrong with that furnace, starting with a plugged or disconnected flue and some sort of failure that allowed the gas to keep flowing and the air circulating even though the furnace wasn't lit. Any modern furnace has multiple redundant safety features to prevent this.

If you filled the entire house with an explosive gas-air mixture maybe you'd get an explosion equivalent to 50-250 sticks of dynamite.

From wikipedia I got a stick of dynamite = 1 MegaJoule of energy

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Owner: Furnace may be behind deadly Indiana blast [View all] Omaha Steve Nov 2012 OP

That's one hell of a fault. Was it burning oil or antimatter? (nt) Posteritatis Nov 2012 #1

Nearly exactly what I was thinking. I've seen commercial blow ups before, jtuck004 Nov 2012 #2

There was a house here in Conn. that exploded from a Propane leak. The house was obliterated. NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #22

Propane is heavier, would tend to settle, a little different. And even in modern homes jtuck004 Nov 2012 #31

The flame mark and the "intact" matchsticks outside of the burn area, yeah Posteritatis Nov 2012 #33

Here's a shot of San Bruno -lot's of burn, maybe even a bigger fire, jtuck004 Nov 2012 #34

I hope a gas Buderus can't do that. valerief Nov 2012 #3

What if it were a mix of exploding furnace, ammo room, meth lab, and methane eruption? valerief Nov 2012 #4

Started by some kid playing with matches. randome Nov 2012 #8

He wasn't satisfied with running with scissors and poking his eye out. valerief Nov 2012 #12

In that part of the city, I'll give ya furnace, ammo room and meth lab ... Myrina Nov 2012 #15

I wouldn't want to be the guy who worked on that furnace. Kaleva Nov 2012 #5

I'm thinking it might have been a DIY job NickB79 Nov 2012 #7

Could be. I've done many jobs where the homeowner first tried to fix it. Kaleva Nov 2012 #13

Responsible for the deaths of two people.. but only mention losing your home demhottie Nov 2012 #6

It remains to be seen whether negligance had anything to do with it. randome Nov 2012 #9

The DAUGHTER had the problem with the furnace and the DAUGHTER is the one that said demhottie Nov 2012 #36

She may not have known yet about the deaths Beaverhausen Nov 2012 #39

Exactly. Or, maybe she did know...shock can make people react strangely. Contrary1 Nov 2012 #41

I just can't understand how to get enough oxygen MrYikes Nov 2012 #10

The house was filled with oxygen prior to the gas leak. Atypical Liberal Nov 2012 #17

. . resulting in a pressboard FAE Strelnikov_ Nov 2012 #27

Our home shook, and we are 5 miles away from that neighborhood... Contrary1 Nov 2012 #11

Gas leak. Atypical Liberal Nov 2012 #16

Looks like a natural gas explosion. McCamy Taylor Nov 2012 #14

I was suspicious at first when I saw the "For Sale" sign... countryjake Nov 2012 #18

Even the pilot light style is safe. NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #24

RuhRo Strelnikov_ Nov 2012 #29

gas water heaters have pilot lights... BlueMan Votes Nov 2012 #37

The 2003 and later hot water heater now require a flame arrestor. NutmegYankee Nov 2012 #38

Interesting that the ex-wife declined to comment when asked. Kaleva Nov 2012 #19

My back-of-the-envelope calculation says it *could* be a gas explosion... hunter Nov 2012 #20

A news report said that a member of the family had smelled gas in the house. Kaleva Nov 2012 #21

Even the pet cat escaped? WestCoastLib Nov 2012 #26

Makes me wonder. Kaleva Nov 2012 #30

As that old detective saying goes Strelnikov_ Nov 2012 #32

Many modern gas furnaces have sealed combustion chambers... Kaleva Nov 2012 #23

That's what my BIL (TX Gas & Well Driller) thinks LanternWaste Nov 2012 #25

I'm wondering the same things about that "faulty" furnace... countryjake Nov 2012 #28

Doesn't sound like he consulted an attorney before that statement. I wouldn't be making *any silvershadow Nov 2012 #35

I was about a half mile from a gas leak explosion in the early 70's du_grad Nov 2012 #40

Having been a fireman in one of my former lives... Javaman Nov 2012 #42