Thread by @Lidsville

Former gas pipeline engineer on last night's Ladysmith fire near the @FortisBC LNG tank storage: "Didn't ever suspect they were allowed to build an #LNG facility anywhere near population centres, let alone on the island... #LadysmithBC #bcwildfires

https://twitter.com/CHEK_News/status/1428594988393275395

@FortisBC ..Engineer: "If LNG gets released, as we know, it forms an explosive vapour cloud that drifts around until it is ignited by something. In this case, it would be the forest fire... #LadysmithBC #LNG

@FortisBC .."The LNG storage tank must be kept cold. If not LNG can warm up, expand & burst the tank, releasing this vapour cloud. No water spray will make any diff. These facilities are being allowed w/o knowledge of LNG's dangers. BC doesn't need a disaster of that size to finally learn"

@FortisBC ..Engineer: "1.5 billion cu ft of gas storage. Assume stored as LNG. Volume of potential vapour cloud if released: 1.5 bcfx 600 = 900 bn cu ft floating in air. Ignition could be like a small atomic bomb. Fire too close to LNG plant. How were they allowed to site it in forest?"

@FortisBC ..Engineer: "For comparison, 1.5 billion cu ft is the amount a 42" dia high pressure nat gas pipeline transports in a day. All that energy would be released all at once in a gigantic explosion and fireball" #LNG #NaturalGas #fracking #BCWildfires

@FortisBC ..Engineer: "They typically have high pressure water protection for small fires in the facility to keep them from getting near the tank. At large facilities these would be automatically operated remotely. Here it's likely manned, but if they are evacuated...? No response I guess"

@FortisBC ..Engineer: "I suppose the best they can do is to have the water spray directed at the LNG tank to keep the fire heat off it, if possible" #ladysmithbc #LNG #BCWildfires

@FortisBC Sorry, engineer had corrected his first #s but I missed the correction. If 1.5 bn is the gas volume, not stored as LNG, 1.5 billion cu ft vapor cloud is still a bomb. The 900 bn cu ft number is too large... it's 1. 5 billion cu ft. Pipeline comparison is correct.

@FortisBC Sorry bots and astroturfers... hiding your Calgary-based replies.