House Exploding

It happened here in 1984, just a few blocks from where I currently live. Houses are on 50' x 75' lots on average and houses are 10' apart (cottages are 40' x 50' in size), just to give you an idea of sizes. The house that exploded and its two immediate neighbours were complete wrecks and there were major damages to every house in the immediate neighborhood and broken windows two rows from that. Five people died. The debris fallout radius was 200 meters (~220 yards).

-cb

My town had natural gas explosions in the 1950s when a regulator designed to step down pressure from the main failed following faulty construction. I just recently saw a documentary about it which included lots of photographs. (Hurray for cable access local programming.)

The lots in the neighborhood where it happened are narrow and deep, the norm for pre-WWII construction around here. These were about 50 to 75 feet wide and 125 deep, the gaps between houses 15 to 25 feet, usually with a driveway next to one house and a narrow section of lawn before the next house's exterior wall.

Each house that exploded caused massive structural damage to the ones on either side, which were so heavily damaged they were razed rather than repaired. Many of the explosions also starting fires which spread to other houses' roofs in the light breeze of a warm autumn day.

Since I know the area and saw the photos, I'd guess the debris spread to have been at least 125 feet in every direction, possibly as much as 175 feet. I think they said there were only two deaths, and it would have been more except that school was in session and it was quite warm, driving many people outdoors rather than roasting inside their un-air-conditioned houses.

Maryn, who knew people in the documentary

It depends upon the level of gas buildup. It can be as minor as just blowing out a few windows to leveling the house.

Lateral range is a function of weight of the object thrown and explosive force. Lighter objects such as small wood could be thrown quite a distance, while heavier objects won't go as far. Most of the debris will probably be in less than a fifty foot circle around the house. Smaller pieces of wood might fly a couple of hundred feet.

Other than windows, neighboring houses usually aren't too bothered by the explosion. Even a house fifteen or twenty feet away can survive fairly well. Usually the neighboring houses are damaged by the radiant heat of the resulting fire.

You might want to take a look at Valkyrie which just came out. Hitler survived because the bomb was on the other side of a table leg.

Houses do blow up, although not frequently. As a firefighter, I've been to a couple. One was only damaged to the extend of losing the windows, the other had the wall for the kitchen lying flat on the ground, the rest of the house fine.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

The house across the street from my SIL exploded. The two houses on either side had significant damage. Her house was lucky. There was a big tree in front and debris was imbedded in it. The back windshield of her car on her driveway was shattered.

When we arrived there were roof shingles and other little particles a block or so away.

News story

Another report mentioned a fire ball and debris going 75 feet into the air.

There was a gas explosion at my mother's apartment complex. The complex was built in a rectangle around a center courtyard. The apartment that exploded was in one short end. My mother's apartment was opposite it in the other short end, down the length of the open courtyard. From what I can recall, the courtyard was not as long as a football field, so maybe 70-80 yards. Her windows and patio door were shattered but that was the main damage to her apartment. It took a while for it to be checked for structural damage, but the people at her end of the complex were able to move back in after a few weeks.

Actually, she was just about to open the drapes when it happened. Since the drapes were closed, they caught most of the glass, but small shards went all over the room. Fortunately, she got only a few minor cuts. If she hadn't been standing to one side of the door and not directly in front of it, she could have been cut much worse.

Years ago, a gas station's underground gasoline (petrol) tank leaked into the ground and then into the storm sewer system. Many houses in the neighborhood had basement drains the led to the storm sewer lines. As the gasoline made its way down the sewer lines, its fumes rose up and eventually leaked into the basements of these houses.
This happened overnight. Early tne next morning the residents awakened and began using hot water. when the hot water heaters ignited, so did the gasoline fumes.
Some houses were blown apart, some were blown a few feet into the air, coming back down on their foundations at an off angle. Several others had smaller explosions and fires. It was a busy morning for the fire department.
After they realized the source of the explosions, they applied foam to the sewer lines, preventing the fumes to form.

An exploding electric water heater here - that had the pressure relief valve malfunction - launched the heater out through the roof, shattering the roof beam. The main part of the tank landed about a block away.

The house was razed - right after the tank took out the roof there was a heavy rain that finished it off.

Isn't it wonderful when you discover that whatever best serves your plot is fully plausible?

Maryn, glad for you

A house exploded in our news area a month or so ago. It was caused by gas, and a police car happened to be coming down the street. He caught the entire thing on his camera and they played it over repeatedly on the news. That roof simply lifted up off the walls a few feet, and came back to rest right where it was. You could tell it was ruffled up in places like the rafters were ready to poke through the shingles. It ruined the house, but no debris flew anywhere. It was really strange to watch. I looked for a link, but couldn't find it.

Here's one that recently blew up near me, apparently the gas company's fault:

http://www.kcra.com/news/18354980/detail.html

Killed one, injured many more, took out one house and damaged quite a few others.

Youtube is great

Have a look at this video, it really puts you in the action so to speak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dSpoUUFBBM