Accident: Key Lessons for Preventing Incidents from Flammable Chemicals in Educational Demonstrations
Location: Location: Reno, NV
Accident Occurred On: 09/03/2014 | Final Report Released On: 10/30/2014
Accident Type: Community Impact
Investigation Status: The CSB's safety bulletin was released at a news conference in Denver, CO on October 30, 2014.
Three accidents involving methanol which injured children during lab demonstrations are examined by the CSB. All the incidents involved demonstrations of flames – usually with a color additive – using methanol as the flammable liquid. In all three cases there was a flash back to the methanol bulk containers, and fire engulfed members of the viewing audience who were not protected by any physical barriers.