Gas ignition and fire damage caused by damaged compressor
January 7, 2020
Boiler, PV and Refrigeration
Reference Number:
II-964050-2020 (#16298)
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.