Uncertified Gas Station Employee Causes Propane Leak and Evacuation
Incident Investigation
Uncertified Gas Station Employee Causes Propane Leak and Evacuation
January 3, 2024
Gas
Reference Number:
II-1656625-2024 (#43037)
Location: Surrey
Regulated industry sector: Gas - Propane system
Incident overview
A gas station employee without the required training certificate attempted to fill a propane tank, leading to the uncontrolled release of approximately 1500 litres of liquid propane and the evacuation of nearby homes. When the staff went to use the emergency shut-off, poor labelling resulted in the wrong switch being used. In addition, the excess flow valve, a safety mechanism meant to automatically limit the flow, had previously been altered and made ineffective.