How could this happen? (house, phone, tank, wife) - City-Data Forum

Roaddog · 06-07-2008, 08:23 PM

We bought a new propane BBQ a couple of monthes ago, it has worked great, well today I turn on a couple burners and begin to preheat, my wife goes out a few minutes later and puts on the ribeyes (yum), about 4 minutes later I hear her say the steaks are on fire, well this doesn't suprise me with her cooking, I've my share of burn't food. I go out the door and see her standing infront of the BBQ, 3 very burn't steaks to one side and the darn BBQ is on fire, not a drippings fire with flames and such but the BBQ itself is turning into a white firework show by itself, sparks and molten metal. I tell her to get away from the self destructing china made killing machine, I grab the water hose which I knew better and as I get ready to spray the molten metal sparks have caught my fence on fire, so I spray the fence but the metel keeps burning so I turn on the BBQ and the white spark throughing metal explodes with a boom crack and burning metal goes everwhere but it doesn't go out. I told the wife to go call 911, the fence is still on fire, the BBQ seems to be eating itself and theres still a propane tank inside it. Before she got to the phone I began making headway and it started to go out.
After it was over half the frame that supports the grill is just gone, a big part of the cast iron lid is gone, my fence will live but on the patio where some of the burning metal landed it burnt into the cement, thats hot as Paris would say.
I don't get it one bit, how could it burn? the temp was sitting at 350 degrees before it decided to self destruct.

Sunnydee · 06-07-2008, 08:35 PM

I don't know how it happened, but I'm glad you and your wife are okay! Exploding metal is so dangerous - think shrapnel. You guys could have been killed. The grill must have gotten way over 350 degrees for the metal to melt.

tkdmom · 06-07-2008, 08:45 PM

Glad nothing else caught fire ! And you're ok !

Propane is touchy too, good thing it didn't blow.

My sister's friend put a propane tank in her garage next to the water heater and it blew up and burned part of her house. Unfortunately, insurance didn't cover it, because it was her fault. I guess she didn't realize what could happen.

Scary stuff !!!

Roaddog · 06-07-2008, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunnydee

I don't know how it happened, but I'm glad you and your wife are okay! Exploding metal is so dangerous - think shrapnel. You guys could have been killed. The grill must have gotten way over 350 degrees for the metal to melt.

Thats what really gets me, the metal was burning, even if the burners were full on it could never get hot enough to do that. there are only a few metals that will burn and the temps would be much higher than propane could deliver.
I weld and use a cutting torch but I've never seen anything like that.

1eyedjack · 06-07-2008, 09:16 PM

I have been looking for a web link but can't find one. I seen on the news a month or 2 ago about a recall on grills for what you described! Glad you are all ok.

Roaddog · 06-07-2008, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1eyedjack

I have been looking for a web link but can't find one. I seen on the news a month or 2 ago about a recall on grills for what you described! Glad you are all ok.

i found a recall but it was a differant model and it was for a tube that was left off. I took it to lowes and showed them, they looked shocked and gave my money back without a problem. i saved some of the burnt metal and it looks like aluminum when it burns, i'm wondering if it was coated aluminum that broke down and reacted to the heat, ya never know sense it was made in china.

1eyedjack · 06-07-2008, 10:11 PM

I guess as long as you got your money back now but here's a link.

Onward Manufacturing Recalls Gas Grills Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

Char-Broil Recalls Two-Burner Gas Grills Sold Exclusively at Big Lots Stores Due to Fire, Burn Hazard

Tek_Freek · 06-07-2008, 10:15 PM

Considering the garbage coming out of China (lead paint on children's' toys, poison in toothpaste or whatever it was in, etc) I wouldn't be surprised to find that the "metal" was made with something included like, say, charcoal! Hell, why not.

Ivorytickler · 06-08-2008, 06:41 AM

My guess is magnesium. Mag beams in cars are a concern to fire fighters. I'm not sure how they get around that one. I just know it was a concern that they'd burn and burn hot in a car fire.

elston · 06-08-2008, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkdmom

Glad nothing else caught fire ! And you're ok !

Propane is touchy too, good thing it didn't blow.

My sister's friend put a propane tank in her garage next to the water heater and it blew up and burned part of her house. Unfortunately, insurance didn't cover it, because it was her fault. I guess she didn't realize what could happen.

Scary stuff !!!

I bought a charcoal grill; I never could get comfortable with my first propane grill and got rid of it; I felt like I was storing a bomb on my deck not to mention transporting the tank in my car to get it filled. No thank you!