Fire Service Warns of Dangers Posed by Portable Butane Gas Stoves

The New Zealand Fire Service is concerned about the safety of some portable butane gas stoves commonly used by campers and holiday makers.

National Fire Investigation Manager Peter Wilding says there have recently been at least four explosions involving the stoves. “We are aware of five people who were badly burned in two incidents and a woman in Christchurch was injured in another explosion in February, just a few days after the earthquake.”

The Fire Service National Fire Investigation Unit begun investigating the issue after noting two explosions involving the portable gas stoves in January this year. Another explosion took place at a home in Glenfield Auckland last week – blowing out windows and a conservatory wall.

In January, two adults and a child on board a boat were severely burned when the butane canister of their cooker exploded. In the same month, two adults in the central North Island were flown by helicopter to hospital after their portable stove blew up. Looking back in its records the Fire Service has identified at least 41 gas portable gas stove fires or explosions over the past five years, 14 involved injuries to people.

“These butane canisters and compact cookers are sold by hardware stores, supermarkets and camping equipment suppliers throughout the country and are widely used. Some restaurants also use them when cooking certain dishes at the table,” he said.

The gas stoves come with a list of instructions for their safe use and Mr Wilding says in most cases it appears as if people have not correctly followed these instructions. However, he says Fire Service investigations show there appear to be several ways in which simple errors in operation could lead to gas leakage and explosions.

He is also concerned that the canisters are labelled as being explosive-proof, when testing has shown that the design technique used to prevent explosions does not always work.

Mr Wilding says the Fire Service is liaising with other agencies, including Energy Safety, to see what can be done to improve safety.

ENDS

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