Home Distiller

A guy I work with sent this to me, knowing of my hobby.

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/08/15/ ... explosion/

Thanks Billy. You posted this 90 minutes ago and I've already had to link to it as a warning to someone.

Less common I think because it's Canada, but similar to events reported in the US where a still is left unattended...

A few years ago a home near me had similar damage, except it was due to flooring glue vapors building up and being ignited. Even without a the fire aspect, when you insulate a home to nearly airtight, a large pressure change is going to be disastrous.

He just set us back ten years ventilation is a must unless your outside under a tarp.

So why no charges with regards to the production of untaxed liquor in an unapproved facility?

NiteHawk wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 6:49 pm So why no charges with regards to the production of untaxed liquor in an unapproved facility?

it's Canada. there is a defense against "shotgun charges" here - that when police charge you, they can't just throw the book at you and see what sticks.
they just pick the ones that are going to hurt you the most, have the highest potential for collection of tax (fines) and be the cheapest to prosecute.

kinda like getting caught speeding with a dead body in the trunk...they ain't gonna pay much attention to the 10 over the posted limit.

other than being wayyy too hot, i knew there was a reason i always still with the door open!

Windows open one fan blowing in one blowing out at each end of the room.

I would suspect that was a gas explosion, propane or natural gas rather than alcohol vapor.

All that is needed to fill a room with an explosive ethanol and O2 mix is a failure in the cooling water to the condenser and you with your arse sat in front of the telly.

Tummydoc wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:06 pm I would suspect that was a gas explosion, propane or natural gas rather than alcohol vapor.

I agree. Probably an LPG cylinder in the basement, with some accumulation of LPG near the floor. I don't think alcohol can make such an explosion (although I am negatively impressed by the simple wall made of one layer only of full bricks, that seems crude to me) and also I don't think they would distill with the windows shut, especially during the peak of Summer.

I don't think it's legal to install an LPG kitchen-stove in the basement. They probably moved a "turkey fryer" down the basement and left it unattended, and with the "windows" open. With GPL the windows have to be at floor level or you must have some air extraction chimney. My gut feelings is that the guys felt they had done everything correct regarding the risks of distilling, and they ignored or overlooked the risks of LPG.

Arson by negligence seems to be the correct charge because what is seen is the explosion. Whether alcohol was responsible for it is to be seen.

Birrofilo wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:55 am I agree. Probably an LPG cylinder in the basement, with some accumulation of LPG near the floor. I don't think alcohol can make such an explosion (although I am negatively impressed by the simple wall made of one layer only of full bricks, that seems crude to me)

I agree very likely an idiot using gas in the basement, but it's not true to say that alcohol couldn't explode this way. Flammable vapors in a confined space makes a nice bomb; Even wood dust is flammable enough.

Re the brick work. Double brick masonry construction hasn't been common here since before the 70's in residential homes; probably a lot earlier. Brick veneer is the norm, in which the wood frame of the home is the structural element.

if you look up saturation levels for alcohol to form an explosive mixture it's ridiculously high amount of booze in the air. in the magnitude of 4 litres alcohol per cubic meter of air or some shit.

not that i'm advising pushing the limit, but you have to have booze to the point of the air being wet to make big, badda boom.

i have personally seen some very dumb kids boiling an illegal substance in isopropyl alcohol for hours on end in a 10 foot x 10 foot room, smoking and lighting cigarettes 3 feet over the top of said pot...on a wood burning stove...and lived to talk about it.

i'd give the lpg theory a much higher probability.