Gas ignition and fire damage caused by damaged compressor

Location: Peace River Region

Regulated industry sector: Boilers, PV & refrigeration - Boiler and pressure vessel system

Incident overview

A tube ruptured in an aerial cooler connected to a compressor unit, releasing combustible gas which then contacted an electric motor and ignited, causing a fire. The incident was likely caused by low ambient temperatures which may have frozen the cooler tubes, damaging them enough to create a gas leak.