Two More Missouri Deaths for Lack of Building Codes

[James H. Bushart]

I believe that there must be some national statistic that would reflect that most homes built with minimum basic standards by qualified contractors do not explode.

[mnahrgang]

So how do you know the house exploded because of a "Lack of Building Standards"?

I'm not saying it wasn't, but the article states that they don't know what the cause was, and that the investigation continues.

[Dave Bush]

Jim, I'm with Mark. This does not appear, by looking at the debris, such as the roof, to be a newer home that building codes would have made a bit of difference. Typically, explosions are something of an accident type nature, not something caught by a building code.

[Wayne B. Wilson]

Didn't seem to be a fire, unless I can see burn traces. Think it's too soon to determine if it's a failure of the home construction. Possibly this may be a faulty hot water heater. This would be interesting to find out what caused it. Gas leak, water heater and so on.It seems the explosion was at the rear or side of the home. Jim if you find it more let us know. Is there many meth labs in that area?

[James H. Bushart]

There are some non-building issues that could cause a home to explode. I agree. In St. Louis County there are still several thousands of homes hooked up to natural gas with deteriorating underground copper lines that are exploding. They are catching them when they begin to leak and start otherwise unexplainable and premature "browning" of grass on lawns. I didn't hear of any this past year.

Then...there are the meth labs which most rural explosions are suspect of.

As for me...in a county without a building code, an AHJ to enforce it, and contractors to apply it....in the absence of the fire marshall determining otherwise, I am of the opinion that I published.

Look at this rural Missouri solution for a 60 amp fuse box with no room to wire the new electric water heater. This is NOT uncommon.




As for gas lines...no one has ever heard of grounding a LP tank.

[Wayne B. Wilson]

James
we have the same problem in some counties here, they just do whatever they think they need to bare minimum. Sooner or later it will catch up.I guess the people in the rural areas are not as important as the big city dwellers. It seems that always the attitude of the small counties is this isn't a big city . I remember dealing with such people back in Ontario Canada. They just don't get it, buildings burn and blow up just the same as they do in the city. I always get been here for 50 years and hasn't fallen down in yet. I just turn and ask would they like their families to live in this. if you hear what causes please post I would be really interested.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

There was a meth lab recently found a county over from me, right across the street from the Sheriff's office. The house caught on fire is how it was found. Sad but true.

[James H. Bushart]

Another explosion a few days later in Barry County, Missouri. No building codes or enforcement here, either.

Explosion causes home fire in Purdy

Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Darla Damrill
One person suffered severe burns as a result of a house fire along Highway 37 near Purdy last Wednesday.
According to Mike Redshaw with the Purdy Fire Protection District (PFPD), the owner of the residence, Dennis Webb, was reportedly attempting to light his furnace when something exploded.

Authorities with the PFPD, the Butterfield Fire Protection District and the Barry-Lawrence County Ambulance District (BLCAD) were dispatched to the scene.

"Our first-arriving unit found heavy smoke coming from the residence and the owner outside of the house," said Redshaw. "He (Webb) had suffered severe burns to his face, arms and torso."

Upon making an interior attack to the burning structure, fire teams found heavy fire located in the partial basement and attic extension of the residence.

The fire damaged a large portion of the structure, causing the floor above the basement and the roof above the same area to collapse.

Redshaw said Webb was treated by PFPD personnel until ambulance crews arrived. Webb was transported by ambulance to a helicopter landing zone at RM Industries and then flown to the burn unit at St. John's Hospital in Springfield.

Authorities with the Missouri Fire Marshal's office and the state propane council responded to assist with the investigation.

According to initial reports, an explosion occurred in the basement, but the cause of the explosion is still unknown.

[Dale Duffy]

But make sure Home Inspectors have a License....Incredible...!

The state is slightly backwards in their thinking, or lack of.

As for me...in a county without a building code, an AHJ to enforce it, and contractors to apply it....in the absence of the fire marshall determining otherwise, I am of the opinion that I published.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by mnahrgang

So how do you know the house exploded because of a "Lack of Building Standards"?

I'm not saying it wasn't, but the article states that they don't know what the cause was, and that the investigation continues.

Published, today....

Propane leak cited in home explosion killing two

The Associated Press
WILLIAMSBURG, Mo. (AP) — The state fire marshal has determined that a fatal house explosion in Callaway County was caused by a leaking propane gas line.

The explosion last week claimed the lives of 20-year-old Amber Smith, and her four-month-old son, Simon Smith.

Callaway County Sheriff Dennis Crane said investigators found discoloration around the copper gas line indicating a slow leak on the line under the home.

But Crane says it’s unclear what ignited the leak.

[Gary Farnsworth]

James, is propane OK for use with copper? I see it often with propane, talked to a propane supplier, and they said copper is widely used for propane. May have been a stress fracture at the connection....???? I realize that copper should not be used for natural gas lines.

[James H. Bushart]

Copper is okay for propane, but when the line enters the structure it is usually changed to hard pipe at that point. Of course, in Missouri, there is nothing that would prevent using the soft copper line directly to the appliance.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Yep. I see that also in rural Kansas. Lack of these regulations do cause deaths; but lawmakers ignore it. Their thinking is backwards. They have been brain-washed by their special interest groups, etc. All of us know the results of their "needed laws".