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    UNR Investigation Summary

    Uploaded by

    Jennifer Montiel
    The document summarizes a boiler explosion incident that occurred at the University of Nevada, Reno on July 5, 2019. A technician was working on repairs to boiler #1 when the first, smaller explosion occurred, severing the natural gas line and starting a fire. Though the fire was extinguished, natural gas had filled the basement and first floor areas. A second, larger explosion then occurred when the gas was ignited by an unknown source, causing structural damage throughout the building. An investigation determined that a catastrophic failure within boiler #1 ignited the series of events leading to the explosions, but there were no fatalities as it was deemed accidental.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    UNR Investigation Summary

    Uploaded by

    Jennifer Montiel
    333 views2 pages
    The document summarizes a boiler explosion incident that occurred at the University of Nevada, Reno on July 5, 2019. A technician was working on repairs to boiler #1 when the first, smaller explosion occurred, severing the natural gas line and starting a fire. Though the fire was extinguished, natural gas had filled the basement and first floor areas. A second, larger explosion then occurred when the gas was ignited by an unknown source, causing structural damage throughout the building. An investigation determined that a catastrophic failure within boiler #1 ignited the series of events leading to the explosions, but there were no fatalities as it was deemed accidental.

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    UNR Investigation Summary

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    The document summarizes a boiler explosion incident that occurred at the University of Nevada, Reno on July 5, 2019. A technician was working on repairs to boiler #1 when the first, smaller explosion occurred, severing the natural gas line and starting a fire. Though the fire was extinguished, natural gas had filled the basement and first floor areas. A second, larger explosion then occurred when the gas was ignited by an unknown source, causing structural damage throughout the building. An investigation determined that a catastrophic failure within boiler #1 ignited the series of events leading to the explosions, but there were no fatalities as it was deemed accidental.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    333 views2 pages

    UNR Investigation Summary

    Uploaded by

    Jennifer Montiel
    The document summarizes a boiler explosion incident that occurred at the University of Nevada, Reno on July 5, 2019. A technician was working on repairs to boiler #1 when the first, smaller explosion occurred, severing the natural gas line and starting a fire. Though the fire was extinguished, natural gas had filled the basement and first floor areas. A second, larger explosion then occurred when the gas was ignited by an unknown source, causing structural damage throughout the building. An investigation determined that a catastrophic failure within boiler #1 ignited the series of events leading to the explosions, but there were no fatalities as it was deemed accidental.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF PUBILC SAFETY,

    STATE FIRE MARSHAL DIVISION


    Summary of events related to Case# F19070501
    University of Nevada, Reno Incident 07/05/2019
    Lead Investigator Joseph Rodriguez, CFEI

    University of Nevada Reno maintenance reported problems with boiler #1 (1of 2 Boilers) in the
    basement of Argenta Hall on June 30th, 2019. Boiler #1 went into “safety” mode on July 1, 2019,
    indicating potential problems with the operation of the boiler. This indictor is what triggered
    Kyle FRASER (technician) from Battle Born Boiler to inspect the boilers operation where he
    determined that a faulty servomotor was causing the issue. FRASER ordered the servomotor and
    while waiting for this part to be delivered, boiler #1 was shut down.

    On July 5, 2019, FRASER returned to UNR and worked on boiler #1 in Argenta Hall at
    approximately 10-1030 hours. At approximately 1247 hours, while FRASER was working on
    boiler #1, the first explosion occurred. This explosion (smallest of the two) caused sufficient
    damage throughout the basement area and severed the 3” natural gas line from the city supply to
    the gas train attached to boiler #1. The gas train is where safety measures and regulator for the
    boiler are located. This first explosion resulted in a fire, fueled by the natural gas, which ran up
    the wall left of the boiler. The water flowed from the fire suppression system activating the fire
    alarm. The alarm company then contacted Reno Dispatch which sent Reno Engine #4 and
    Truck#1 to the scene. At this time Reno Fire units responded to a Fire Alarm call, unaware of the
    initial explosion.

    The first Reno Fire units arrived on scene at approximately 1257 hours, and began investigating.
    About this time FRASER was able to shut off the city supply gas to Argenta Hall from the
    exterior. The basement filled with water from the activated fire suppression system, which
    extinguished the fire. Natural gas from the severed pipe had already allowed approximately
    6,000 cubic feet of flammable gas to enter the basement area. The Natural gas filled the first
    floors and the elevator shaft adjacent to the boilers. The fugitive gas was then ignited by one of
    several potential ignition sources which caused the second and largest explosion. The ignition
    source for the second explosion could not be determined. Those sources ranged from the
    cafeteria cooking equipment, dormitory laundry equipment (adjacent to elevator shaft), elevator
    cars operating, or an unspecified tenant ignition source in Argenta Hall.
    The second explosion caused the ripple effect of structural damage that followed up the elevator
    shaft and boiler exhaust pipe to the roof, and along the ground floor throughout the cafeteria
    area. Reno Fire Department immediately upgraded the alarm response, due to the magnitude of
    the explosion. Reno Fire Department commenced rescue operations and established an incident
    command system.

    Numerous federal, state and local Fire and Law Enforcement Agencies responded to the incident.

    A Post Blast Investigation Team (PBIT) was then established and led by the Nevada Department
    of Public Safety, State Fire Marshal Division, with members from UNR Police Department,
    Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District, Washoe
    County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, and Nevada Division of Industrial Relations.

    The report concludes that a catastrophic failure within boiler #1 ignited the series of events
    leading up to the second explosion. This report details the investigation that ensued, with the
    Nevada Department of Industrial Relations, Mechanical compliance section report being the
    determining investigation as to what the exact failure within or around boiler#1 was. There were
    no fatalities, and the explosion was not criminal or terror related.

    This is a summary of events. For the full and complete incident report go to:

    https://nevadadps.govqa.us/WEBAPP/_rs/(S(5x1joyq3frigzchytgizovi1))/RequestArchiveDetails
    .aspx?rid=5860&view=1

    You may also view the Nevada Department of Industrial Relations/ Mechanical Compliance
    Section:

    http://dir.nv.gov/MCS/Home/

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