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feature

November/December 2008
Feature

 

 

Table 1 — Fire incidents investigated by WHA involving medical equipment4 and incident evaluation

Location of Incident

Date of Incident

Regulator Filter/Piston

Operation During Incident

Ignition Mechanisma

Springfield, Ore.

12/27/93

SS/Alum

Flowing (5-7 min)

Particle Impact Promoted Ignition

Greeley, Colo.

7/13/95

SS/Alum

CVb Just Opened

Contamination

Boone, N.C.

10/6/95

Bronze/Brass

Flowing (4-6 min)

Particle Impact

Austin, Texas

6/14/96

SS/Alum

CV Just Opened

Contamination

Houston, Texas (#1)c

6/15/96

SS/Alum

CV Just Opened

Unknownc

Houston, Texas (#2)c

7/15/96

SS/Alum

CV Just Opened

Heat of Compressiond

Gurnee, Ill.

3/23/97

SS/Alum

CV Just Opened

Promoted Ignition

Broward County, Fla.

6/12/98

Bronze/Brass

CV Just Opened

Particle Impact

Greenville, S.C.

8/27/98

SS/Alum

CV Just Opened

Particle Impact Promoted Ignition

Oak Creek, Wis.

1/21/99

SS/Alum

CV Just Opened

Promoted Ignition

Reno, Nev.

1/25/99

Bronze/Brass

CV Just Opened

Particle Impact

 

a This column lists the ignition mechanisms that were considered to have the
highest probability based on the evidence inspected.

b CV – cylinder valve

c The failure analyses for the two Houston incidents were not performed by WHA. However, WHA personnel inspected the fire-damaged regulators as part of other investigations.

d Although this incident was not investigated by WHA, the only material consumed in the fire was the regulator seat.

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