OCTA CNG Bus Catches Fire

[Tax Counsel]

Three articles:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/f...ente-authority

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/b...1-fire-service

http://www.sanclementetimes.com/inde...01returnid=99#

[cngprices]

Re: OCTA CNG Bus Catches Fire

The first article made me wince with it's mention of how much more dangerous CNG is than a gasoline engine. It's an uphill battle to convince people otherwise, especially when the news reports it as a fact. The reason the CNG vented is to do so safely! The chances of getting a fireball from a venting CNG tank (even in a burning vehicle) seems very unlikely to me.

Todd

[freedml]

Re: OCTA CNG Bus Catches Fire

Ok, I asked them on their website. We'll see if they respond...

[freedml]

Re: OCTA CNG Bus Catches Fire

I just spend some time on the phone with Capt. McKeown and his boss. After going around and around in circles, they could not point to any evidence that a CNG vehicle fire was more dangerous than a gasoline vehicle fire. They said in various ways that there are so few CNG-vehicle-related fires that their opinion that it is "much more dangerous for firefighters" is based on lack of experience with these fires instead of facts.

They said that their firefighters were 'surprised' by the tank venting and 'blowtorch' effect, which indicates that they had forgotten that this is exactly what is supposed to happen when fire is close to CNG tanks.

It was really irritating that a Public Information Officer could not answer questions about quotations in the paper other than to answer questions I didn't ask or ask me who "I" was to ask questions. Or maybe it should have been expected.

But, of course, they stand by their statements.

[larrycng]

Re: OCTA CNG Bus Catches Fire

My question is, How was the PRD vent system run? Where and how did it exit the vehicle.?

The fire will use up the oxygen. If the vent exit is in the fire it would have to go above the fire to get enough oxygen to ignite -- if there was still enough heat to ignite the unburnt NG in flanme -- if it hadn't carbonized

Just speculating

Larrycng