Propane Explosion Sends Man to Hospital With Serious Burns

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On Labor Day, Monday, September 2, crews from Missoula Rural Fire were dispatched to the scene of an explosion that sent one man to St. Patrick Hospital with serious burns.

I spoke with Missoula Rural Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Bowman on Tuesday.

Missoula Man Badly Burned in Propane Tank Explosion

“About 8:30 a.m. on September 2, Missoula Rural Fire District and Missoula Emergency Services were dispatched to an address on Highway 10 West, west of the airport for a reported vehicle explosion,” began Chief Bowman. “Our first unit arrived within four minutes of the dispatch and found a vehicle with significant damage. There was no fire, but there was a male standing outside with serious burn injuries to his upper body.”

Chief Bowman described how the explosion and resulting injuries occurred.

“The individual had left a propane camp stove in the back of his car and had a small mini propane tank still attached,” he said. “It was determined that the propane tank had been leaking throughout the night while it sat in his vehicle, so when he attempted to start his vehicle in the morning, that ignited the explosion of the propane that was within his car.”

The Leaking Propane Tank Exploded When He Started the Vehicle

Chief Bowman further described the propane tank that exploded inside the vehicle.

“Small propane tanks don't have shut-off valves,” he said. “This was a small, portable twist-on propane tank, and they have no shutoff valves. So having those completely unthreaded from the unit themselves and stored outside, that would be the most critical thing.”

Chief Bowman had good advice for anyone using a small propane gas stove.

READ MORE: Western Montana Braces For Increased Fire Activity

Chief Bowman Urges Campers to Recognize the 'Rotten Egg' Smell of Propane

“First, recognize the smell of propane,” he said. “That smell being that a kind of rotten egg smell that you would smell when you're smelling gas, and if you do smell that, and you don't know the location or where it's coming from, it's safe just to call 9-1-1 and have a unit come out and assist.”

Chief Bowman also encouraged parents to keep their children away from small propane stoves, especially while camping.

He said the victim was seriously burned but did not know of his current condition.