BOTCHED NGV REPAIR BY HOMEOWNER CAUSES HOUSE FIRE

A home in North Logan, Utah, caught fire recently. The fire was caused by a fuel leak from an NGV that was parked in the home’s garage. The homeowner, who was not trained to work on natural gas fuel systems, had been performing repairs on his Ford Expedition equipped with a CNG conversion system. Jason Killinen, the North Logan Fire Marshal, stated, “It is believed the repairs were not successful which caused natural gas to leak from the vehicle’s tank until an ignition source was contacted.” Several explosions were caused by propane canisters stored in the garage, and the house was left uninhabitable due to the partial collapse of the roof. However, no injuries were reported. The vehicle’s CNG tank was not breached and did not explode. This incident underscores the importance of vehicle owners being informed that their vehicles should be serviced and repaired by technicians trained and certified to work on natural gas fuel systems. To learn more about alt fuel certification and training, visit the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) website.