how much is 30,000 gallons of propane?

[franksolich]

I've always had the problem of "conceptualizing" "size;" probably something to do with way the brains in deaf people work.

Is 30,000 gallons of propane about the size of a semi-truck?

When it blows up (fire), how much damage could it cause?

I don't any links that are current, but apparently Norfolk, Nebraska (population circa 21,000; the "big city" around here) sort of, well, blew up, and is burning.

I went to town--no radio or television here--to inquire, and it's a madhouse, even though town is far away from the big city; all motor vehicular traffic being routed through here.

One can see the smoke.

I've been told the noise could be heard from 20 miles away, if not further.

I dunno.  Life sucks when one can't hear what's going on around one.

But is 30,000 gallons of propane a lot?

[BlueStateSaint]

Generally, yes (it's a lot).  One could make a Hell of a fuel-air explosive from that.  DAT would probably know more.

[DefiantSix]

30,000 gallons of propane comes out to about 48,000 cubic feet, or a single 18-foot diameter tank about 189 feet long.

[franksolich]

Generally, yes (it's a lot).  One could make a Hell of a fuel-air explosive from that.  DAT would probably know more.

I can see the smoke, and I'm forty miles away.

There was a fire that started circa 7:00 a.m., and the southern half of the whole city was evacuated immediately at that time, so no casualties are expected.

We out here don't wait for Bo to fly Air Force One in to take us away.

Apparently it's a pretty big deal.

Massive congestion in the small towns surrounding.

Highway 81, a main arterial between Canada and Mexico, now closed.

I wish I could tell more, but that's my situation--all this excitement going on, and I have no idea.

[Chris]

NORFLOLK, Neb. (KPTM) - The Nebraska State Patrol in conjunction with the Norfolk Fire Department, Norfolk Police Department and the Madison County Sheriff's Office, are evacuating a one mile radius surrounding the Proteint Plant in Norfolk.

Just after 7:00 a.m., Thursday, December 10, 2009, Norfolk units responded to the report of a propane tank fire at the former Protient Plant located at 702 Omaha Avenue, in Norfolk, Nebraska.   The propane tank is about 50 yards from the plant itself.  The plant at this time is not on fire.

http://www.kptm.com/Global/story.asp?S=11655467

[franksolich]

Hmmm... explosive protien.

Yeah, it's a dairy.

But that story's already outdated.

I've heard the plant, which is about five stories high and covers more than a city block, is gone; nothing left.

I'm a little irked at this; I thought the internet gave us "real time" as it happens.

[NHSparky]

Well, to put it into perspective, this is a 5-gallon tank, coach...

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAyuq8sDCeg&feature=related[/youtube]

[franksolich]

Well, to put it into perspective, this is a 5-gallon tank, coach...

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAyuq8sDCeg&feature=related[/youtube]

Thanks, NHSparky, sir.

I see plumes of smoke, like a super-thin atomic explosion rising high in the sky.

The sun's out, the sky is clear, no wind, but it's about zero degrees here right now.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Yikes, that sounds pretty bad.  Do you suppose the cold or snow cleanup or anything related may have helped cause this?

[franksolich]

Yikes, that sounds pretty bad.  Do you suppose the cold or snow cleanup or anything related may have helped cause this?

I have no idea; oddly, this is one of those cases where people 1500 miles away can figure it out better than I can.

The dairy plant (or rather, former dairy plant) is (or rather, was) located in a relatively open area alongside the Omaha-Black Hills highway, on the south side.

Near the intersection with U.S. Highway 81.

I would not even be able to speculate any causes.

The fire was found burning circa 7:00 a.m., and immediately everybody headed out, no waiting for "instructions."  There's some pretty major industrial facilities in that area, and they're (apparently) ghost towns.  In the residential neighborhoods, everyone just grabbed their kids or infirm neighbors, and took off.

Wal-Mart, further to the west (along with other places, including the shopping mall) was cleared out by 7:30 a.m.

[franksolich]

http://www.norfolkdailynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=104&ArticleID=20359

Fire out; evacuation still in place
Propane tank has not exploded at this time
 
The fire was reported directly behind the former Protient plant on Omaha Ave. shortly after 7 a.m. today.
 
The propane tank has not exploded, but it is being threatened at this time.
 
As of about noon, the fire at the Protient plant was out, but the evacuation order had not been lifted.

A large part of south Norfolk was evacuated Thursday morning after a fire started directly behind the former Protient plant on Omaha Avenue shortly after 7 a.m. A propane tank did not explode as a result of the fire but was being threatened because of its proximity to the blaze. That’s why roughly one-third of Norfolk was evacuated, said Al Roder, city administrator.

A propane tank did not explode as a result of the fire but was being threatened because of its proximity to the blaze. That’s why roughly one-third of Norfolk was evacuated, said Al Roder, city administrator.

The plant is located at 805 Omaha Ave., and just days ago was leased by an Illinois-based company with the goal of returning it to full production of ingredients for dairy products.

Black, rolling smoke could be seen for miles at about 7:45 a.m. Bright orange flames shot up from the fire site.

What caused the fire remained unknown Thursday morning, but the smell of gas permeated the air near the scene as flames threatened the nearby 30,000-gallon propane tank. Based on the height of the flames, it is believed propane was fueling the fire, Roder said.

A report from the scene said 10 to 12 workers were inside the plant at the time the fire broke out and were evacuated.

Norfolk Mayor Sue Fuchtman said, “There have been no injuries reported. There certainly has been an outpouring of local support to offer places for displaced families to stay.”

She added, “I’m very confident that our trained and efficient Norfolk emergency personnel are in control of this serious situation. The citizens of Norfolk have recognized the seriousness of disaster and have taken steps to keep themselves and their families safe.”

Deb Collins of the Nebraska State Patrol in Lincoln said the patrol sent a helicopter with special equipment that began operating about 9:50 a.m.

The helicopter, which left from Lincoln, has video and down-link capabilities so that it can provide emergency officials on the ground with a view of what is happening from above, Collins said.

The helicopter can operate for a couple of hours before needing to refuel. It can refuel at the Norfolk airport as needed, she said.

Mutual aid calls resulted in assistance from neighboring fire departments, including those in Battle Creek and Hadar.

As of about 8:45 a.m., officials were shutting down the eastbound lanes of the Highway 275 bypass near Faith Regional Health Services. Parts of Sunset Plaza were also evacuated.

Affiliated Foods, which is located at 13th Street and Omaha Avenue, was among the businesses that evacuated. The grocery wholesaler is one of Norfolk’s largest employers, with about 675 employees.

A spokeswoman for the business said the company evacuated about 8:45 a.m.
For Affiliated and all others affected by the evacuation, it was not known Thursday morning how long the evacuation might remain in place. Norfolk Fire Chief Shane Weidner said Norfolk should be prepared for a “multi-day event.”

Hy-Vee East was also ordered to evacuate.

Marlene Uhing, superintendent of the Norfolk School District, said students and faculty in schools in the evacuation area — Grant, Lincoln, Montessori, Washington and Westside elementary schools as well as the junior high — were evacuated. Personnel at the school district’s central office also were evacuated.

Steve Stortz, principal at Christ Lutheran School, said students were sent home immediately. Since it is indefinite how long they will need to be evacuated, the school closed for the day.

The Helping Hands Child Care, which is operated by Christ Lutheran Church, sent its children to Our Savior Lutheran Church for the day, which is outside of the evacuation circle, Stortz said.

The Wesleyan Center also evacuated, going to the Norfolk Middle School. The Montessori preschool was evacuated to the City Auditorium.

Firefighters initially ordered a half-mile evacuation around the plant, including businesses along Omaha Avenue and the Victorian Inn west of the plant. It later was expanded to a mile radius — from 10th Street and Omaha Avenue to 20th Street to Norfolk Avenue, Andes Lake south and Victory Road on the east, according to Roder.

Emergency officials were going door to door Thursday morning to make sure everyone was evacuated.

Barricades to shut down streets were obtained from the city street department, 1010 S. Eighth St., which also was evacuated.

There's pictures linked at the link, above.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Frank, an old-school semi-truck liquid tanker holds about 5,000 liquid gallons, the new shiny really big ones I think run up to around 9,000.  30,000 is a whole Hell of a lot of propane.

[franksolich]

Frank, an old-school semi-truck liquid tanker holds about 5,000 liquid gallons, the new shiny really big ones I think run up to around 9,000.  30,000 is a whole Hell of a lot of propane.

Thanks, Tanker, sir.

I'm familiar with those tanker-trucks, the big ones.

Now I have an idea.

[kenth]

I was told once by a propane dealer that his 10000 gallon propane tank would probably level his city block were it to rupture via a BLEVE. Not sure how accurate that is, just what he told me.