A father was very seriously injured by an exploding manhole cover in a China street after lighting a firecracker. (Article by Graham Smith of the Daily Mail on 16th February 2012). This should act as a warning to all biogas plant owners. Methane explosions occur rarely, but when they do the consequesnces are seldom minor, and can be tragic.
The pictures show how the shocking moment took place when a man is blown off his feet after lighting a firecracker on a manhole cover. The CCTV footage shows the man being thrown ten metres through the air by the force of the explosion. We have included the much of the text from the article. Please follow the Daily Mail link at the bottom of the page:
The blast, which took place on January 29 in Hunan province in China, was so powerful that his jacket was torn off his back.
Reckless: Bending down over a manhole, a man in Hunan province in China prepares to ignite a firecracker with a lighter in his hand as two young boys look on
Explosion: The manhole cover suddenly blasts skywards, hitting the man, identified only as Mr Cai
Powerful: The blast sends the man flying across the street and tore the jacket from his back
The man, identified only as Mr Cai, was severely injured in the incident.
Surveillance footage shows him playing with his son and nephew in a snow-covered street.
Bending down over a manhole with a lighter in his hand, he prepares to ignite a firecracker as the two young boys look on.
An explosion suddenly occurs, sending him flying across the street and the manhole cover shooting as high as four storeys into the air.
The boys escaped uninjured and local residents rushed Mr Cai to hospital.
He suffered facial burns and an inhalation injury and remains in a critical condition.
The explosion was believed to be caused by highly-explosive highly explosive methane biogas that had accumulated inside the sewer. The gas is produced by the biological breakdown of organic waste in the absence of oxygen.
Alternate view: The manhole cover (circled) shot up as high as the fourth storey of a neighbouring building
Shocked: The boys escaped uninjured while local residents and authorities rush Mr Cai to hospital
The manhole cover now has a block of wood on it to warn motorists and passers-by that it is damaged
View the original article here
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