Free Republic

SAFETY ALERT INTRODUCTION: Readers of this bulletin should consult the law of their individual jurisdictions for codes, standards and legal requirements applicable to them. This bulletin merely suggests methods which the reader may find useful in implementing applicable codes, standards and legal requirements. This material is not intended nor should it be construed (1) to set forth procedures which are the general custom or practice in the propane industry; (2) to establish the legal standards of care owed by propane distributors to their customers; or (3) to prevent the reader from using different methods to implement applicable codes, standards or...

Train Blocks Chili Avenue by Rich Turner Published Mar 24, 2008 A disabled train has Chili Avenue blocked at the 3300 block, near Old Chili-Scottsville Road. The train hit a boulder on the tracks, causing

FAHAMA, Iraq, Jan. 30, 2008 – As the teal dump truck made its way down the muddy street, local citizens appeared from behind the gates guarding their houses. They walked to the truck, their hands full of an empty burden. Army 1st Lt. Nick Piergallini (center) and Army Capt. Enardo Collazo (right), talk with Sheik Emad Abdul-Settar Muhammad, the senior sheik for the village of Fahama, Iraq, Jan. 27, 2008. Soldiers escorted a truck filled with empty propane tanks from the villages of Fahama and Gumayrah to Boob Al Sham to exchange them for full tanks. Photo by Pfc....

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A tragedy might have been averted near the United States Capitol on Friday afternoon, where a man was arrested at gunpoint while carrying a shotgun and a backpack containing a samurai sword. And it now appears that he is a Utah resident with a long criminal history. The man, identified by Washington, D.C. CBS affiliate WUSA-TV as Michael S. Gorbey, was spotted about a block away from the U.S. Capitol, near the Russell and Dirksen Senate office buildings at approximately 1:00 p.m. Capitol police drew their weapons after spotting the man and forced him to surrender. Gorbey...

A powerful explosion rocked Tacoma Saturday afternoon, sending four injured workers to the hospital, shooting a fireball hundreds of feet into the sky, shutting down highways and banning aircraft for a five-mile radius. The series of events leading to the explosion began as a tanker truck driver was loading propane into one of two stationary tanks at Atlas Castings & Technology. Two smaller explosions occurred, followed by a massive one that blew the truck apart, with the axel flying hundreds of feet in the air before

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“I’ll have a normal orange juice, please,” says Hank Hill. “And make it normal.” He wishes! Hank, plaintive hero of Fox’s comedy “King of the Hill,” is joining someone at a dang ol’ prissy juice bar. Not by his choice. This is not Hank’s kind of place. Nor are these his kind of times. Never were. After a decade on the air, “King of the Hill” finds Hank pretty much where he was in January 1997: a Texas good ol’ boy in a world bent on serving up things that, in his mind, just aren’t normal. Hank’s a regular guy...

Safety Net Only within the last few weeks are heating fuels markets finally feeling the effects of more typical winter weather following a wave of severe winter storms that have swept across many regions of the country. From the citrus groves in southern California that were severely damaged by freezing temperatures, to a large swath across the Plains States that was nearly paralyzed by several devastating ice storms, the effects of winter weather are finally being felt in many parts of the country that had previously basked in unseasonably warmer-than-normal temperatures almost from the start of the heating season. But...

Many can't afford propane, activist says : BATON ROUGE -- Hurricane victims, living in FEMA trailers near Baton Rouge for more than 17 months, told a legislative panel Monday that some residents are going without heat in near-freezing weather because they cannot afford to pay for propane for their temporary homes. Wilbert Ross, president of Katrina Rebirth Promise Land Inc., an organization that represents about 3,500 residents dislodged from their New Orleans homes by Hurricane Katrina, said the federal government last April cut off a food service and vouchers to pay for propane to heat the trailers, cook food and...

Something exploded in the distance, I can see fire in smoke.

The Alaska Energy Technology Development Laboratory at the University of Alaska Fairbanks recently announced a successful field test of a prototype propane fuel cell. The cell, manufactured by Massachusetts-based Acumentrics and installed at the Kenai Fjords National Park’s Exit Glacier Nature Center near Seward, ran for more than 1,100 hours straight and did so with no measurable degradation in its efficiency. “From a technical point of view, it is an important milestone we have achieved here,” said Dennis Witmer, director of AETDL. “It is one step closer to these kinds of fuel cells becoming devices that can be useful in...

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Those not lucky enough to head south for the winter can take take solace in at least one bit of news: Winter heating bills for many Americans to be a lot lower. Bills for homes heating primarily with natural gas are expected to be about $119, or 13 percent, less this winter, the Energy Information Administration said. Special Reportfull coverage Big drop seen in winter heating bills Oil creeps above $60 EIA eyes stable oil flow, mild winter Gas tumbles, but don't get used to it EIA, the government agency that tracks energy statistics off all...

Gassy Bugs: Microbes may produce propane under the sea Julie Rehmeyer For decades, scientists have been puzzled by periodic findings of ethane and propane in sediments that they've pulled from deep below the ocean floor. As far as they knew, these gases could be produced only as petroleum is—by great heat applied to ancient, buried organic matter. But sometimes, ethane and propane turn up in areas where that process seems unlikely. A new report suggests a different source: microbes. Bacteria and archaea within underwater sediments could chew up buried organic material and spew out ethane and propane as waste products,...

WASHINGTON -- After years of relentlessly rising heating bills, homeowners are likely find some relief this winter. Supplies are plentiful, and prices are falling for natural gas, heating oil and propane. The cost of natural gas on wholesale markets is about half of what it was last January because of high inventories and the anticipation of record amounts in storage by the time the heating season begins in November. "There is good news for consumers going into this winter. For the first time in four years we're seeing downward pressure on prices," Chris Conway, chairman of the Natural Gas Supply...

Traders at BP charged, but it's possible no one paid extra When investigators filed charges in June claiming BP tried to corner the U.S. propane market, they had some useful evidence to make their case — recordings of company traders discussing the alleged scheme. But they may lack another tool often used to get others to cooperate with the investigation: victims who saw their propane bills rise because of the alleged manipulation. Prosecutors often use the threat of lengthy jail sentences, which are calculated based on the losses suffered by victims, to get defendants to plead guilty. That was the...

BP HAS been ordered by United States regulators to give evidence over possible insider trading in the world crude oil price. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is investigating whether BP’s energy traders, who buy and sell oil, used inside information about the company’s operations to profit from changes in the oil price. This latest investigation comes as BP faces a series of damaging revelations that have brought it an uncomfortable amount of attention from US politicians and media. Some analysts believe that BP, the world’s second largest oil company, is being treated as a scapegoat by US politicians who...

So here I am, your reporter from the Otherworld. I am in Manta Ecuador looking to buy a boat. I was in the Guayaquil airport trying to get a flight and they tell me the only route is a late flight to Quito and the next morning to Manta. Phooey. I went outside and asked a taxi how much and how far. Three hours, $90. Yep, here is where it gets interesting. A three hour taxi ride for $90. The car was a Hyundai, what they call a monovolume. A Pininfarina designed slippery box with wheels at the corners. So...

U.S. Army Pfc. Erik Regalado, a medic with first platoon, B Company, speaks with children standing in line with their families to receive their propane, in Amal Shabi near Kirkuk, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael Pfaff Iraqi Police Escort Propane Delivery to Village The Iraqi police escorted the propane to Amal Shabi, while coalition forces provided an additional security presence during the distribution of the propane. By U.S. Army Spc. Michael Pfaff 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment KIRKUK, Iraq, March 6, 2006 — For several days, the Iraqi village of Amal Shabi had been denied their normal...

An El Sobrante man armed with a crossbow and a blazing propane tank who barricaded himself inside his house and held police at bay for more than seven hours was being held in Contra Costa County Jail on Monday, authorities said. Rufus Thomas, 47, was arrested Sunday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, assault on a peace officer, making threats and false imprisonment. When deputies raided the house about 8:15 a.m., they found Thomas wearing a gas mask and a motorcycle helmet and waving a blazing propane tank, Wright said. The police backed off until firefighters could spray...

Federal agents contend that a Pennsylvania man tried to work with al Qaeda in a plot to blow up the Alaska pipeline, another pipeline in Pennsylvania and a refinery in New Jersey, according to a published report. Michael Curtis Reynolds, 47, has not officially been charged with terrorism, but a prosecutor at a hearing said that Reynolds tried to "provide material aid to al Qaeda" and that the case "involves a federal offense of terrorism," The Philadelphia Inquirer reported in its Sunday editions. CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston reports that a tip from Shannen Rossmiller - a judge from Conrad,...

This fall, Turkmenistan is preparing to raise the price of its exported natural gas by one and a half times - to $100 per thousand cubic meters. This was declared on Friday by the president of Turkmenistan, Sapamurat Niyazov, according to a report by Reuters. "Europe has problems now. The prices of the energy sources are rising. We will also gradually raise our prices," said Niyazov during a news program on the government television station. "We have been selling for 44 dollars, now we are selling for 65, but from the ninth or tenth month of this year will we...

Did FEMA promise free everything to people living in Renaissance Village, the FEMA trailer park just outside of Baker? That's what some residents there are saying, but FEMA is denying their claims. So on Friday, some angry residents staged a "walk-out" to protest. "All we're doing is asking FEMA to do is stand up to their word," said resident Wilbert Ross. "Let us have everything free for 18 months." The residents' requests stem from a notice they received stating that free propane service would be cut off effective January 31st. In the trailers, propane can be used for heat and...

January 1, 2006 -- A Zamboni ice-grooming machine exploded at a Long Island skating rink yesterday afternoon, sending some 80 people — including many children — slipping and sliding to safety, authorities said. The frightening incident began after an employee at the Port Washington Skating Center — formerly owned by retired Islanders hockey star Brian Trottier — noticed a leak as he changed the propane fuel tanks on the device at about 3 p.m., police and fire officials said. He went to fetch a manager — and when they returned the tank was on fire. They quickly warned skaters, who...

Saw this breaking on another board

<p>Just heard as news alert on Fox News. One beieved dead. No other details.</p>

I live in North Pekin, Illinois and about three blocks from my house a propane and propane accessory store is exploding as I type. My son just called and said they are evacuating this area. The police have the highway 29 closed by my house. I don't know how long I will be able to stay here, I can smell the propane already. Life flight helicopters are landing now. I may have to leave and be unable to respond to questions. News reportersare in front of my house with their cameras and have already started asking me their inane questions.

(AP) - WASHINGTON-Two companies are recalling about 88,000 portable propane heaters because a defect can cause gas to leak out, creating a fire hazard, the government said Tuesday. DESA Heating LLC of Bowling Green, Ky., and Scheu Manufacturing Co. Inc. of Upland, Calif., are aware of four people who suffered hand burns and two cases of property damage, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The propane heaters, made in China, have a plastic ring that can crack and allow gas to leak. The following models are being recalled: -All-Pro (SPC-15R and SPC-30R) -Master infrared (TT15A and TT30A) -Reddy Heater (HD15A...

Wed Jan 12, 8:37 AM ET Strange News - AP READING, Pa. - A man who had a pig roast in his basement was ordered to remove propane tanks and other cooking equipment after he and 13 others got carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities said. Fire Marshal David A. Janiszewski said the citation issued to Rubin Cornejo, 57, does not carry a fine and added that he believes Cornejo made an honest mistake. Janiszewski said Cornejo could be fined and face further legal action if he does not remove the equipment immediately, or if he has another pig roast in his...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Officials are investigating the theft of about 30 propane tanks from a local hardware store, NBC 4's Nancy Burton reported. The propane tanks were stolen at about 10 p.m. Monday from the Sears Hardware store in the Northwest Center at Henderson and Reed roads. The tanks were being stored outside in locked cages, Burton reported. Police said thieves broke the locks on the last two cages and stole about 30 tanks. Burton said a witness called the store as the theft occurred. The manager on duty then called police, but the suspects left the scene before police...

PORT DARLINGTON, Ont. (CP) - Explosions that sent debris into the air "like rockets" and a blaze at what was believed to be a propane company forced the evacuation of about 5,000 people late Tuesday, police said. The fire near the waterfront in the community east of Toronto could be seen for miles and the explosions rocked homes in the area. "I opened the blinds and there was this explosion, at least eight or nine storeys into the sky of light and fire," a woman named Heather reported. "Then we just started hearing the explosions of the propane tanks every...

The FBI is contacting its Joint Terrorist Task Forces in Washington and around the country after 7NEWS Investigator John Ferrugia asked federal officials about hundreds of gallons of missing liquid propane gas. About 100 propane gas cylinders have been stolen since July and so far, none of them has been recovered, Ferrugia said. The missing tanks could pose a serious threat because the propane in just one of the cylinders can take down a small building. (See explosion video...).

Propane thefts fuel caution Web Posted: 06/02/2004 12:00 AM CDT Tracy Idell Hamilton Express-News Staff Writer Police and the FBI are searching for two fully loaded propane trucks stolen over Memorial Day weekend from an East Side gas company. The theft of more than a dozen flammable gas tanks at a downtown medical outfit during the same period has law enforcement reacting with caution, but authorities do not believe the two crimes are related or that the thefts are linked to terrorism. (Jerry Lara / Staff) San Antonio Police Chief Albert Ortiz (right) answers questions with FBI Special Agent in...

THOMASVILLE, Pa. -- An explosion at a facility that refurbishes propane tanks for gas grills shredded a tractor-trailer and injured two workers Thursday. Investigators were trying to determine whether a ringing cell phone could have ignited propane from a leaking canister, a fire official said. A workers' cell phones rang at the time of the blast, which was heard more than 12 miles away. The Aero Energy Inc. employees were securing a truckload of 1,152 propane tanks for delivery to Maryland at 4:25 a.m. when the explosion occurred, said plant manager William Wagner. The employees, who were not identified, called...

Trying to find more information... Photographs look like a tornado hit the town. Many businesses and homes totally destroyed. Large explosion near the fire department. Believe to be propane explosion. Will search for links... Did not see this posted...sorry if it has been.

Dozens of explosions in Sacramento Propane transfer plant. "20lb" tanks popping off like cherry bombs. Hugh colums of black smoke. Flames up to 250'...

Propane thefts get FBI attention Chicago Sun-Times 3/19/03 The theft of propane tanks from Chicago area businesses probably would not have prompted police departments to call the FBI in the days before the Sept. 11 attacks. But with war looming and the nation on alert for terrorism, several suburban agencies decided federal authorities needed to know. Dozens of the tanks have disappeared from businesses in Burbank, Evanston and Oak Lawn over the last month or so. The Burbank theft may have been the most intriguing to police: Eight tanks were stolen from a convenience store where Nabil al-Marabh was arrested...

Now that all is decided except how much French tourists will be charged for parking tickets in post-war Iraq, I want to temporarily divert the attention of my fellow FReepers onto a truly serious topic. I'm talking, of course, about...........grilling. The Lovely Wife and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary yesterday, and as part of our mutually-decided "extended celebration" of our Silver Anniversary, we decided as one of our little fun things planned to get a new grill. Stop laughing. We like to grill. A lot. You see, we figured that all too often, couples that reach this point have...

<p>Since my last vanity announcement on keywords went so swimmingly (it ended up with something like 5000 keywords added to it) I thought a great idea would be to throw some propane on some other fires with a vanity.</p> <p>Breaking news is being abused again, big time. This goes in cycles, with sometimes people being responsible, but other times people not being very responsible.</p> <p>We are in one of the not-very time periods.</p>

Photo by Molly Van Wagner Blaze rages in Pasco This story was published 7/13/02 (excerpt) By John Trumbo Herald staff writer A blistering hot fire, fueled by stored flammables and liquid propane gas, destroyed Action Towing at 1920 N. Fourth Ave. in Pasco on Friday evening. Its cause is unknown. Within minutes of the first sign of flames just before 6 p.m., the raging blaze in the cinderblock two-story structure burned through the roof, said a witness who called 911. About 40 firefighters alternated on 30-minute shifts on one of the hottest days of the summer to pour hundreds...