Propane Tank Explodes In Carrot Bay Truck
A waste collection worker sustained minor injuries after an improperly discarded propane tank exploded inside a garbage truck in Carrot Bay. The crew had to offload the burning trash onto the street to save the vehicle before firefighters extinguished the blaze. Officials are urging residents never to place pressurized gas canisters into regular household bins.
A routine waste collection run turned hazardous in Carrot Bay after a discarded propane gas cylinder exploded inside a garbage truck compactor, leaving one sanitation operator with minor injuries. The incident occurred when the collection crew emptied a residential bin containing a used gas tank that had been hidden among regular household waste.
As the hydraulic compaction mechanism engaged to crush the refuse, the pressurized cylinder ruptured under the immense force, triggering a sudden explosion and igniting the surrounding trash. Faced with an active fire inside the vehicle's storage compartment, the quick-thinking crew immediately offloaded the burning waste onto the ground to prevent the flames from engulfing the entire truck.
Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue Service personnel were quickly dispatched to the scene in Carrot Bay, where they successfully brought the garbage fire under control and extinguished the flames. The injured worker was treated for minor injuries sustained during the blast. Authorities noted that the situation could have been far worse had the explosion compromised the fuel system of the vehicle or caused severe direct trauma to the operators.
Following the incident, officials are strongly reminding the public across the British Virgin Islands that pressurized gas containers of any kind must never be placed in standard garbage bins or public dumpsters. This prohibition applies to propane canisters, helium cylinders, scuba tanks, oxygen bottles, and aerosol cans.
Improper disposal of hazardous and combustible items poses severe risks to front-line sanitation workers, emergency responders, and critical waste management infrastructure. Residents are urged to contact authorized gas suppliers or the Department of Waste Management for guidance on how to safely decommission and dispose of empty or damaged cylinders.
Primary source: VINO