Posted on 05/09/2013 7:58:17 AM PDT by Old Sarge
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) - Interstate 81 is closed in both directions at the 22/322 overpass near Harrisburg, and many other roadways around the city are congested due to a massive fire involving a diesel tanker.
Route 22/322 eastbound is also closed at the interchange.
Westbound 22/322 was closed until about 10:30 a.m., when PennDOT reopened the highway over I-81 at the Exit 67 interchange.
Access is now also available to northbound I-81 from westbound Route 22 at the interchange.
State police Trooper Robert Hicks said the crash occurred at 6:10 a.m. when the tanker, fully loaded with diesel, overturned on the I-81 northbound ramp to 322 West near mile marker 67.
The truck then caught fire and multiple explosions occurred.
The driver, a 52-year-old man from Dover, was able to escape the truck with minor burns. He was taken to Harrisburg Hospital, Hicks said. His name was not immediately released.
The truck was coming from Carlisle, and no other vehicles or people were involved. The crash is still under investigation.
The tanker was on fire for about 45 minutes on the 22/322 overpass.
PennDOT officials said both roads will remain closed until further notice because they are worried about the structural integrity of the overpass.
PennDOT spokeswoman Fritzi Schreffler said it appears the decking and beams of the overpass are in bad shape, and it is simply too dangerous to let cars travel underneath on I-81.
I-81 north is closed at Route 581 in Cumberland County. I-81 south is closed at the 81/83 split.
Significant traffic delays have been reported on I-81, Route 22/322, Progress Avenue, Cameron Street, Linglestown Road, Route 581, Route 11/15, and the Carlisle Pike.
There are signs on the highways near Allentown that I-81 was closed near Harrisburg.
That would be Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion.
I've helped design tank farms and loading facilities. I am familiar with the cause of such events.
A BLEVE occurs when a vessel containing a superheated liquid (e.g., propane) catastrophically fails, usually as a result of external fire exposure (i.e., a pool fire under the vessel or a jet- or torch-type fire impinging on the vessel walls). The fire pressurizes the vessel, causing the relief valve to open, which allows the pressurized vapor to escape. As the liquid level in the vessel decreases, the flames impinge on the vessel wall above the liquid level. The vessel wall rapidly heats up due to the poor heat transfer provided by the vapor on the inner side of the vessel wall. The wall weakens and then tears, resulting in a sudden catastrophic failure of the vessel. BLEVE events have also been known to occur as a result of vessel failure from mechanical impact, corrosion, overpressurization, or metallurgical failure.
The consequences of a BLEVE event are (1) the overpressure blast wave that is generated as a result of the rapid expansion of the superheated liquid, (2) the fireball thermal radiation generated as a result of the rapid combustion of the released flammable material, and (3) the potential vessel fragments that may be propelled as missiles. BLEVE events have the potential for causing injury and/or facility damage at significant distances from the source of the BLEVE.
You are correct of course about BLEVE.
That’s what I get for posting from my mobile, like now ;-)
Very few people understand class B fires and fires vs. explosions from vapors (not liquids). I know years ago firefighters school was an eye opener for me.
Much rather attack a pool of burning fuel than a partially ruptured multi-compartmented vessel like that tanker; especially since there wasn’t a water source any where near to cool the metal and the fuel.
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