Exploding Pressurized Tank Flies 300-Plus Feet Into Kennewick Home

It was something right out of a movie, perhaps, luckily, no one was hurt.

   Broken gas cylinder rockets into Kennewick home

Authorities now say the broken cylinder could have gone in any direction, everyone was lucky.  The cylinder was similar the ones in picture, but a little longer.

 Wednesday morning, crews at Pacific Recycling at 315 South Gum Street (formerly the Autoskraps location from years ago) were working on recycling a vehicle around 8:30 AM when a piece of equipment struck a natural gas cylinder that was attached to the vehicle's frame.

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The impact either punctured or knocked the valve off the tank, causing it to rocket away from the facility. A very loud boom was heard blocks away when the tank flew at least 300 feet, and went through the front door of a nearby home in the 700 block of East 4th Ave.  That location is south of Pacific Recycling.

Although the tank remained fairly intact, it did shower some metal fragments as it flew through the air.  Damage to the home was significant, but no one was hurt.

Neighbors said the homeowners were on vacation, but had relatives staying there while they were gone.

Gas and petroleum experts say these highly compressed tanks can act like rockets if there is a single puncture to the shell, or if the valve is knocked off and allows the gas to escape. They can spin in circles like a firework, or in this rare case, even take off like a rocket--if the hole allows the gas to escape in a 'straight line.'

Pacific says they are working with the homeowner to remedy the situation.