ESPN’s Hannah Storm Gas Grill Accident
ESPN’s Hannah Storm was critically injured a few weeks ago when the flame on her gas grill went out and she exploded into a “wall of fire” when she tried to relight the grill. She suffered second-degree burns to her chest and hands and first-degree burns to her face and neck. She lost her eyebrows, eyelashes and half of her hair. If she watched the Rose Parade and saw her hosting, she noted that her left hand was bandaged, but otherwise she looked terrific. Thanks to skilled makeup artists and hair extensions, she was able to stage the show like nothing happened.
Hannah was interviewed by ABC news and held back tears as she vividly described her ordeal. Graphic images of her in the hospital were shown while she was in the hospital; you could see the burn marks on her chest and neck where the flames trailed toward her face. She really was lucky to have people at home who were able to come to her rescue, otherwise they know what could have happened.
What happened?
The article mentions that Hannah “noticed the flame on the grill had gone out. She turned off the gas and when she turned it back on “there was an explosion and a wall of fire came at me.” I underlined “she turned off the gas” because it’s a important fact Turning the gas off was the right thing to do though the article is a bit vague I don’t quite understand why you would turn the gas off and try to relight the grill with the gas off but maybe that part of the information has been lost in translation or maybe missing a moment I think I heard Hannah say in her interview with ABC News that she waited a few minutes before turning the gas back on and turning the grill back on if she had waited a few minutes before turning back To light the grill, you followed the correct grill safety procedures outlined by the gas grill manufacturer in their manual.
Why did this happen if you followed the correct procedures?
While I can’t say for sure why this happened, there are a few reasons why this could happen and how you can take care of them yourself.
Propane is heavier than air.
Today’s gas grills primarily use natural gas or LP (propane) gas. Natural gas is cheaper than propane depending on where you live, burns cleaner than LP, and is lighter than air so it dissipates quickly. LP gas is heavier than air and will seek the lowest space available such as the bottom of the firebox where the burners are. LP gas will take longer to dissipate into air. The article says that he was using a propane grill.
I’m assuming that since mid-December in Connecticut the temperature was mild to cold and the air is thicker when it’s cold outside. From what I gather from the article and listening to her interview, I’m assuming there was a brief period of time after she turned off the gas to let the gas dissipate before turning the grill back on. In hot climates, where the air is lighter, it can take 2-5 minutes for the propane to dissipate; Your manufacturer’s manual will instruct you to wait 5 minutes before relighting the grill after you notice the flame has gone out. But with the colder temperature, the cooler air would trap the propane gas in the bottom of the firebox and not allow the gas to dissipate as quickly. As long as she waited, it wasn’t enough.
Propane Smell Test
LP (propane) gas is non-toxic and in its natural form it is colorless and odorless. Manufacturers deliberately add a chemical compound to give it that unpleasant smell. The smell helps alert you that there might be a leak. When the gas is ignited, the chemical compound burns and is almost imperceptible, but during a leak it is clearly noticeable to the nose. If Hannah had noticed the smell of rotten eggs before she turned the gas back on and lit the igniter, she might have let the grill sit a little longer.
Why gas grill safety?
Gas grills are the most common outdoor cooking appliance today. Gas grills are increasingly replacing charcoal grills due to their ease of use and generally easier to clean and maintain. As with any appliance, an outdoor grill should be treated like an indoor appliance. Gas grill safety must be exercised to avoid serious injury; It is, after all, a combustible gas and you have to consider the fact that you can burn yourself if you are not careful.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Grill-Related Home Fire Fact Sheet, between 2006 and 2010, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 8,600 home fires involving gas grills, hibachi and barbecues per year. These 8,600 fires caused an annual average of 10 civilian deaths, reported 140 injuries, and $75 million in direct property damage.
Safety Tips for Gas Grills
- Read the manufacturer’s suggested “Grill Safety” guidelines in the manual that came with the grill.
- The grill should be placed well away from any structure or combustible material.
- Keep children and pets away from the grill when in use
- Keep an eye on the grill to make sure the flame hasn’t gone out. If it’s a windy day, you may need to check it often.
- Keep the grill clean! Remove grease drippings around burners and flavor bars to prevent flare-ups.
- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby in the kitchen
- If the flame goes out, first turn off the gas at the propane tank and then turn off the burners. Shutting off the gas in the tank than in the burners will allow what little gas is in the lines to escape.
- Leave lid open to allow gas to escape. If you keep the lid closed, the gas will not be able to escape.
- Wait at least 5 minutes before turning on the gas. If you still smell gas or rotten eggs, wait another 5 minutes before turning the gas back on and lighting the burners again.
- If the smell of gas does not go away, keep everything turned off and call a propane service technician or the fire department; do not try to relight the grill.
- Replace your propane tank often! Propane tanks will degrade over time. Have your tank checked when you fill it up or better yet, replace it with a new one.
conclusion
Grilling has become a family tradition and an American pastime. I think we all tend to be satisfied with our gas grills because we use them so often and “nothing bad has ever happened” but gas grill safety should be considered every time we fire it up. As I said at the beginning, you are using a combustible gas and you should always be aware that you can burn yourself, so be careful and take precautions.
Stay safe ~ Happy BBQ!
Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/espns-hannah-storm-returns-3-weeks-accident-175720614–spt.html