| Last night Kirkton families were forced to flee their homes after a blaze in a shed where one was stored.
Local councillor Rikki Beattie hit out after more than 70 homes had to be evacuated from the Beauly Avenue area.
“To have an acetylene cylinder in a residential area is just ridiculous,” said Councillor Beattie. “An overheated cylinder is, in effect, an unexploded bomb.”
A spokesman for Tayside Fire and Rescue urged people to use safer alternatives to acetylene and refrain from keeping the potentially-dangerous cylinders in residential areas. “We would rather people didn’t store cylinders in sheds, garages and lock-ups,” he said.
The Tayside Fire and Rescue spokesman continued, “We’d prefer the use of alternatives such as oxy-propane, which is a slightly safer method.
“Acetylene cylinders can be safely disposed of by returning them to the supplier or contacting the BOC. People could also contact environmental health regarding the disposal of cylinders.”
The cause of last night’s blaze is still unknown and investigations will begin tonight.
Firefighters were called to Beauly Avenue around 7 pm after the shed caught fire.
As the fire crews battled the blaze they discovered an acetylene cylinder had been stored in the shed and immediately ordered an evacuation of all nearby properties.
Police set up a hazard zone of up to 200 metres around it in case the intense heat caused it to explode.
Scores of evacuees were initially taken to Kirkton Community Centre, where four families were found alternative accommodation overnight while the rest dispersed to friends and relatives. They were not able to return until tonight.
“I thank everyone involved in the evacuation,” added Councillor Beattie.
“Considering we were asking people to leave their homes, the response was fantastic.”
Acetylene is an extremely flammable gas that is most commonly used in welding.
Across Europe, between 1980 and 1994 acetylene incidents are believed to have caused 35 deaths.
The gas presents a unique risk due to its instability.
Heating or mechanical shock can cause acetylene to explode.
This can put the public and firefighters at immediate risk and lead to massive disruption.
And the risk of explosion can remain for up to 24 hours — unlike all other gases, which are safe once the fire has been extinguished and the cylinder is cooled.
In the past, whole acetylene cylinders and fragments have travelled nearly 200 metres following an explosion.
Other dangers can include a travelling fireball, flying glass and structural damage to nearby buildings. |
