Somebody in Southfield Mich, yesterday afternoon was taking 20 empty B sized acetylene cylinders to a scrap yard. He had them loaded in his compact car, when he got in and started the car he then smelled something. He was in the process of exiting the car, when the acetylene that accumulated in it and was set off by the dome light when he opened the door. He is in hospital, the explosion shook the neighborhood, the car was destroyed.
The Fire Chief stated that the landlord has 75 more cylinders in the basement that aren't leaking and the home owner will have to remove and dispose of them.
Now for those that may not know, scrap yards will not take flammable gas cylinder of any kind. Unless they have the valve removed, and the body of the cylinders either cut in half or a hole large enough that it makes it impractical to repair. Not to mention the mess the filler in the cylinders (acetylene) along with the acetone or DMF solvent makes and it is a hazardous disposal issue.
That is why the fire dept didn't get further involved, other than issuing a violation, and time limit to remove them. They did say that they were from the landlords closed business.
