Did you know that..? The improper handling and transport of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) can lead to catastrophic accidents such as the one that happened in the camp of the Alfaques (Tarragona, Spain), due to a BLEVE type explosion due to tank overload and environmental warming, with 243 dead.
A more recent example is the serious accident that occurred last Wednesday, November 7, 2023 in Sichuan, China, after a truck loaded with LPG exploded due to a leak while work was being carried out on the truck itself. At least two were reported dead and two injured. The images shown are of this sinister.
On the other hand, on March 2, 2025, a similar explosion in Lebanon killed six people
As seen in the images, after the initial leak there is an accumulation of gas in low areas due to its higher density. In addition, coming into contact with an ignition source within its flammability range, would have led to explosion and subsequent fire.
In Europe, for example, the ADR (European Agreement on International Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road) is the framework agreement that details the elements that must intervene in these transport: from the classification of the product and its hazard to the type of packaging or labeling.
This agreement, for example, marks that tankers transporting gases should have circular sections for better distribution of internal pressure. The elliptical section, by ADR, is defined for conventional hydrocarbons, so the tank in the image, if more data is missing, would be incorrect according to ADR (not applicable in China).
