At around 10:44pm last night (Wed 29 May) the Kernot-Grantville Brigade were responded to the BP Service Station on the Bass Highway at Grantville for a LPG Gas Cylinder that was leaking.
Upon arrival crews found that the petrol station attendant had done a fantastic job and isolated the service station and evacuated the site. They had also set up barriers to prevent people entering the site which was a great effort by the proactive staff at the service station.
The weather was cold with rain and a wind that was from the north west due to the effect of buildings in the area. This meant that the gas plume was blowing across the service station forecourt and upon arrival the smell of gas was very strong.
Kernot Tankers 1 and 2 and Bass Tanker were responded to the call along with Acting Operations Manager Paul Summons and BASO Scott Hamilton who were on their way home from a Group Meeting at Kilcunda and arrived on scene at the same time as the Brigade.
The Kernot Tanker 1 crew quickly hooked up to the mains and ran out 2 hose lines, one for a fog attack to dissipate the gas and one as a safety line. Crews under the protection of the fog line approached the LPG Cylinder steel compound and identified and isolated the leaking cylinder. It would appear that the valve had been cracked when it was placed in the container. It is unknown if this was accidental or a deliberate act.
A quick response that could have been disastrous as the neighbouring premises is a charcoal chicken shop that luckily was closed and their ignition sources were off.
Good teamwork, quick response and great leadership lead to a good outcome for all involved.
Author: Keith Pakenham