Portable gas stove explosion warning!
I've been wanting to write a post about the dangers of portable gas stoves for a long time. I've made several videos about them but I think they are so dangerous they deserve more attention. If you just want to know my recommendations for a safe gas camping stove.......click here.
Watch the video above to find out about the gas explosion that occured outside our campervan sliding door. It's a miracle we were parked where we could cook outside because if we'd been cooking inside we would have both been killed by flying shrapnel. Had it been a big pan of hot pasta rather than some boiling water, it would have been horrendous.
Portable Gas Stove Explosion |
I would post a photo of the type of portable gas stove that is likely to eventually go off like a bomb, but I don't want to be sued. I can't remember the brand of stove that we had either. I'm talking about the type that has a gas canister slotted right next to the stove and where the gas supply housing is incorporated into the stove unit. They are all extremely dangerous so it doesn't matter which one you buy....you're buying a bomb! Even the canisters that supposedly release their pressure should they heat up, due to the stove or pan having exploded into flames, can still explode.
Watch this video to see one of these portable gas stoves exploding...
Australia seems to have put safety before manufacturers as these stoves have mostly been banned and recalled with only redesigned or modified stoves now available for sale.
Here are some accounts of explosions due to these stoves....
'In went the gas cartridge and down went the lever to fix it into place. But before I even turned the knob to ignite it - whooosh up it went sending me flying backwards and setting fire to the grass all around it! The supernoodles got tossed on the floor and the pan got dipped into the stream and the water thrown over the fire but because the gas was still turned on the fire just kept on going and I couldn't get to the lever to disconnect it because the flames were too high! Anyway, the next thing I knew some guy appeared from nowhere and picked it up and threw it in the stream.' Read more.
During preparation of the evening meal, a gas cannister exploded. According to the student concerned, he screwed the stove to the cylinder, heard gas coming from the join between stove and cylinder, and still decided to go ahead and light it. He says the cannister burned from the joint for 10-20 seconds before exploding. The stove itself, he says, separated from the cannister
and flew high into the air. Read more.
Over the past five years there have been at least 41 portable gas stove fires or explosions, 14 of which involved injuries to people, national fire investigation manager Peter Wilding said. In January, two adults and a child on board a boat were severely burned when the butane canister of their cooker exploded. In the same month, two adults in the central North Island were flown by helicopter to hospital after their portable stove blew up. Another explosion, at a Auckland home last week, blew out windows and a conservatory wall, he said. Read more.
I know most people will think, 'I don't need to worry because I will always cook outside,' but if you're travelling around, you will find most of the time you'll be cooking inside. If you use one of these portable gas stoves and you also cook inside, you're playing Russian Roulette.
These stoves/hobs should be banned, it's quite simple. They're a big waste of materials anyway given the canisters don't last long. While we were travelling in the south of Spain, we were using a can every third day. Not only is it a waste of materials, you also have to stock up on the canisters and spend time finding a shop that sells them.
We lived without a stove for a while because I was so terrified of the thought of gas or naked flames. After a couple of months, I braved it and bought a gas stove and a separate gas tank. The stove sits on the kitchen worktop and a 3m long flexible hose connects it to the gas tank on the floor. I got an extra long hose so that I can move the stove outside if I want to and the tank stays put. The tank is very heavy and never moves, which is reassuring. I have had no problems with this setup, the stove does not make me fear for my life and we saved a lot of money once we just had to fill up the tank once in a while, which you can do at hardware shops and petrol stations as well as camping shops. I bought a single gas stove with a lid and it's been sufficient for our needs, even being away for a year and a half. However, if I had the space I would have bought a two burner stove like the one in the link below, which is the same type of stove I bought.
See--->>> SAFE GAS STOVE - TWO BURNER
I'm normally not a big health and safety freak but on this I'm sure.....don't take the risk!
A grill-and-burner combo, this is ideal for the camper who arrives late at night and doesn't have the daylight or energy to start a campfire but still wants to grill up some meats and veggies. portable gas stoves
ReplyDeleteAnother useful safety feature that is not particularly common on gas cooktops is an indicator light to show when one of the burners is on, thereby preventing any burners being left on accidentally. best gas cooktops
ReplyDeleteSome brands of gas cooktops have been designed with the technology that would automatically shut off the supply of gas from the tanks in case the fire is accidentally extinguished. gas stove top
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