House fire involving an external gas water heater

Energy type: 
LPG
 
Event summary: 
The Fire Service notified Energy Safety of a house fire involving an external gas water heater. They advised that the fire was out on arrival and that the gas supplier was investigating. Fire damage was confined to the water heater and the surrounding wall where the gas jet was impinging.
 
Accident ID: 
160819-07
 
Accident date: 
19 August 2016
 
Site: 
Domestic
 
Environment: 
Building
 
Voltage: 
N/A
 
Equipment: 
Water heater instantaneous
 
Accident type: 
Fire and explosion
 
Casualty: 
Non-fatality
 
Injury: 
No injury
 
Property damage level: 
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment
 
Outcome of investigation: 

A 45 kg LPG supply cylinder had been left disconnected. The tenant at the property opened the cylinder valve without noticing the escape of gas. When the tenant tried to use the hot water, the water heater adjacent to the venting cylinder ignited the gas.

The cylinder station was non-compliant, although not directly attributable to the incident. The installation has been upgraded and certified as being compliant.