NGV eXpLosiOn iN MeLaKa

I was hanging out with my friends when my sister sent me a SMS that sounds like this:

Dun go Taman Merdeka pump gas. Today dun pump. Taman Merdeka gas explode. Dad say de.

For your information, currently i’m driving my dad’s 1999 Proton Wira 1.5 that runs on NGV (and petrol, of course). NGV is good lah, since I can save more on fuel. If I pump full tank only RM7 or RM8 plus max. With a full tank, I can go around 120km, sometimes 130km. That’s approximately 6 cent per kilometre. However, refilling NGV can be a headache since 120km is actually very little if you travel a lot. Not to mention you have to wait behind the long queue line of cabs.

Eh, babbling away pulak. Back to the text message my sister sent me. When she said gas explode, I thought there were a technical error at the gas station that causes the explosion. But it was nothing like that. The next morning, my dad told me that the explosion was caused by irresponsible modification to a vehicle using a LPG gas tank (the ones we use for cooking). According to him, the owner of the exploded vehicle passed away in the accident, after the explosion ripped open his stomach. Due to my curiosity, I purposely drive by the Petronas station to peek at the accident spot (damn it, without my camera).

But what I saw there was only a cleared up scene. No more glasses or metals on the floor. But I did saw a white van that totally looked like the exploded vehicle. I went home, feeling even more curious. So I Googled ‘Taman Merdeka NGV accident’. This is what i found:

The white van that exploded while refuelling NGV.

That’s the white van I saw! After I found the pictures, I go on reading the text that accompanied the graphics. Let me summarize what I read:

• The incident happened at Petronas Taman Merdeka, Batu Berendam on 8.30pm Friday night (7th Nov).
• 3 people arrived with the van (Toyota Lite Ace).
• The vehicle was refilling NGV as usual, when the vehicle suddenly explode.

• One Two people is injured and two one people have died. (updated)

• A taxi driver got injured on his face.
• LPG cooking cylinder is found.
• A box with Pelmag NGV components are there, but never used.
• NO NGV cylinder was installed in the vehicle.
• The owner probably had personally install the LPG cooking cylinder under the seat of the van.

Aiyo, the main reason why we use NGV is to save on fuel mah! If we get to save but in return we have to sacrifice our life, what’s the point? Please! No NGV cylinder was found? That’s really very serious leh! How can one simply replace a high pressure NGV gas tank with a regular cooking gas tank? When refuelling NGV, the gas tank will heat up. If you’re using NGV gas tanks, you would not face any problems since the tanks were built to sustain the heat from the refilling heating. However, if you use cooking gas tanks, you risked to be barbecued. The regular LPG tanks cannot sustain heat.

The exploded LPG tank.

Think twice before installing tanks like this in your vehicle. It might go 'Kaboom!!'

The natural gas is a sensitive fuel, so if you planned to use it, you have to install the whole system correctly. Follow the safety regulations issued by JPJ. Go to an authorized and recognized NGV installer instead of D.I.Y. experimenting at home. Dangerous lah kawan. Even if you don’t appreciate your own life, think about others! Don’t put other people in danger. For heaven’s sake, the whole petrol station might blow up because of your stupidity creativity. Petrol stations are high risk areas lah!

Ingatlah orang yang tersayang.
Photos credits: http://www.ngvlocator.com/ngvlocator/menu/index.html

Let's pray for the deceased and hope no more accidents like this happen in the future.