Hydrogen Tank Explosion Kills One And Injured 16 Persons

[webfact]

1 killed, 16 injured in hydrogen tank explosion in Loy Krathong festival in Tak

Tak - One killed and 16 people others were injured when a hydrogen tank for filling balloons exploded in a Loy Krathong festival in Mae Ramad district here early Sunday.

Police said the explosion occurred at 1 am.

Witnesses told police that the explosion occurred when the balloons vendor, a Burmese, was packing his things for returning home.

The man was killed by the explosion.

-- The Nation 2009/11/01

[animatic]

Lord almighty, these people haven't seen the Hindenburg crash????

Helium is always used in balloons, since it doesn't go BOOM.

Hydrogen is used in NASA ROCKETS....

Probably smoking a cigarette at the time too.

Darwin Award Winner for sure...

so sad he takes other's body parts with him...

[h90]

Lord almighty, these people haven't seen the Hindenburg crash????

Helium is always used in balloons, since it doesn't go BOOM.

Hydrogen is used in NASA ROCKETS....

Probably smoking a cigarette at the time too.

Darwin Award Winner for sure...

so sad he takes other's body parts with him...

Hydrogen is cheaper and not as easy to ignite as people believe so just. with the usual carefully handling just a small percentage explode......

[animatic]

usual carefully handling just a small percentage

Just a smaller percentage!!!!! uh...

Careful handling: ...do you remember where you are?

[jaiyenyen]

^^ Oh, well that's okay then.

[Scott]

Outside the US and a few other developed countries, hydrogen is used for balloons. Some years back, there was a Hollywood actor who was burned by an incident with a balloon in either Egypt or Turkey.

[Ijustwannateach]

Ok, that's it- no more balloons!!!

[AskTheCPT]

I almost got hit w/ an M80 (large firecracker) as I was walking from the festivities near the river..

I thought NASA used liquid oxygen?

Thai Holdiays seem to be more dangerous than most other countries to attend

[Scott]

I forgot to add my condolences to the friends and family and those that were injured.

And yes, IJWT, it's best to stay away from those balloons.

[Crossy]

My condolences too, to a man just trying to make a living

I noticed at one of our parties that the balloons being given to the kids were just neutrally bouyant (they drifted up VERY slowly). This implies that the gas wasn't pure helium / hydrogen and must have a significant proportion of air mixed. If mixed with hydrogen this would make for a scarily explosive mixture. I didn't test the balloons with a match.

[Thai at Heart]

My condolences too, to a man just trying to make a living

I noticed at one of our parties that the balloons being given to the kids were just neutrally bouyant (they drifted up VERY slowly). This implies that the gas wasn't pure helium / hydrogen and must have a significant proportion of air mixed. If mixed with hydrogen this would make for a scarily explosive mixture. I didn't test the balloons with a match.

We tied a load of them above a barbecue once. Bang doesn't quite describe it.

I would reckon a very large amount of the floating balloons around Thailand contain hydrogen.

[h90]

usual carefully handling just a small percentage

Just a smaller percentage!!!!! uh...

Careful handling: ...do you remember where you are?

animatic, you forgot to turn on your sarcasms detector.

[Garry]

I almost got hit w/ an M80 (large firecracker) as I was walking from the festivities near the river..

I thought NASA used liquid oxygen?

Thai Holdiays seem to be more dangerous than most other countries to attend

Have you ever been to the Rocket Festivals (Bung Fai), now that is some crazy stuff there

[PhilHarries]

I thought NASA used liquid oxygen?

Thai Holdiays seem to be more dangerous than most other countries to attend

As an oxidant, oxygen doesn't burn but, in it's pure state, it makes other substances burn like the fires of Hades but in double quick time.

Unfortunately most Thai holidays are, for one reason or another, drifting away from their roots, a bit like many western holidays but with more tragic results.

RIP to the dead man, lacking education and a future, only trying to make a bob or two.

[animatic]

usual carefully handling just a small percentage

Just a smaller percentage!!!!! uh...

Careful handling: ...do you remember where you are?

animatic, you forgot to turn on your sarcasms detector.

I never turn it off and it has a generator backup.

LOX and hydrogen in the right state can have quite a kick.

In typical state it also makes water.

[Moonrakers]

Witnesses told police that the explosion occurred when the balloons vendor, a Burmese, was packing his things for returning home.

The man was killed by the explosion.

-- The Nation 2009/11/01

They just couldn't resist, could they!

[ratcatcher]

Witnesses told police that the explosion occurred when the balloons vendor, a Burmese, was packing his things for returning home.

The man was killed by the explosion.

-- The Nation 2009/11/01

They just couldn't resist, could they!

That's because Thais would never do such a crazy thing!

[Rumfoord]

Witnesses told police that the explosion occurred when the balloons vendor, a Burmese, was packing his things for returning home.

The man was killed by the explosion.

-- The Nation 2009/11/01

They just couldn't resist, could they!

That's because Thais would never do such a crazy thing!

and you are above suspicion of having bias, prejudice and ethnic profiling.

[toptuan]

Lord almighty, these people haven't seen the Hindenburg crash????

Helium is always used in balloons, since it doesn't go BOOM.

Hydrogen is used in NASA ROCKETS....

Does this mean I shouldn't suck the air out of a Thai balloon to make my voice sound like a chipmunk?

But if I do, I should keep lit matches away from my arse?

[tominbkk]

Thai Holdiays seem to be more dangerous than most other countries to attend

Haha, spend New Years Eve in Guatemala City!!!

[animatic]

Witnesses told police that the explosion occurred when the balloons vendor, a Burmese, was packing his things for returning home.

The man was killed by the explosion.

-- The Nation 2009/11/01

They just couldn't resist, could they!

That's because Thais would never do such a crazy thing!

and you are above suspicion of having bias, prejudice and ethnic profiling.

No, it just means RC.'s been here long enough to know how things are here.

Calling a spade a shovel doesn't make it a shovel.

It also points up the Thai prejudice against Burmese, just trying to feed their families.

Bear in mind who no doubt sold this poor Burmese man his gas to fill those balloons.

Condolences to the family of course.

[animatic]

Lord almighty, these people haven't seen the Hindenburg crash????

Helium is always used in balloons, since it doesn't go BOOM.

Hydrogen is used in NASA ROCKETS....

Does this mean I shouldn't suck the air out of a Thai balloon to make my voice sound like a chipmunk?

But if I do, I should keep lit matches away from my arse?

Yes surely... Or bring extra BVD's with you....

I can't remember seeing ANYONE doing the squeeky voice here either. Ah ha!

Maybe using a cigarette to pop someones balloon might be ill advised also... yikes!

[h90]

My condolences too, to a man just trying to make a living

I noticed at one of our parties that the balloons being given to the kids were just neutrally bouyant (they drifted up VERY slowly). This implies that the gas wasn't pure helium / hydrogen and must have a significant proportion of air mixed. If mixed with hydrogen this would make for a scarily explosive mixture. I didn't test the balloons with a match.

We tied a load of them above a barbecue once. Bang doesn't quite describe it.

I would reckon a very large amount of the floating balloons around Thailand contain hydrogen.

Common joke for drunk technician in Austria. Fill a balloon with welding gas mix (C2H2 (I think)+O2) and ignite it. Every second year someone loose a hand or something similar.

Luckily we hadn't the things at home when I was in right age to try that......

[TAWP]

Ok, that's it- no more balloons!!!

Yeah, it seems it could be a smart idea to disallow that around my son anymore...