On Wednesday morning, a tank exploded on a tanker on the E6 near Råde. The tank was filled with liquid food waste. – What has happened is completely incomprehensible. I’ve never seen anything like it before during the years I’ve been driving a tanker, says professional driver Geir Lermo. He has driven similar types of cars for around 25 years. Drone images taken shortly after the explosion show that the tank was massively damaged. Photo: news-tips Photo: news-tips Photo: news-tips Lermo did not drive the car with the tank that exploded. He was also not a witness to the incident, but has seen pictures of the tank that news has sent him. – It must have been a huge bang. The tank explosion caused the E6 to be closed for hours on Wednesday. Photo: Nyhetstips.no The explosion occurred in a bulk trailer. It is a trailer with a silo-shaped tank. Such tanks are normally used to transport dry material, but are also used to transport liquids, such as liquid food waste. The explosion is said to have been heard by residents of Karlshus, several kilometers away from the E6. Tank truck driver Geir Lermo has never seen anything like this before. Photo: Privat How did the explosion occur? – I have not experienced such a situation with food waste before, says senior researcher Ove Bergersen. He researches composting and biogas at the Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomics (NIBIO). Liquid food waste from the tank spilled onto the motorway in Råde.news TIPS The police say it is too early to conclude what is the reason for the explosion. Bergersen has nevertheless made up his mind about what might have happened. He believes the liquid food waste in the tank developed gas which created too much pressure inside the tank. – This explosion could just as well have happened in the storage facility where the waste came from, says Bergersen. The risk is low for something similar to happen with food waste in solid form, according to the biogas researcher. – The more liquid the mass becomes, the more gas is formed. Senior researcher Ove Bergersen out in the field. Photo: NIBIO – Shouldn’t be overpressured If it is assumed that a high-pressure gas developed, the tank should still not explode, explains Harry Nilsen. He is the founder of Sørum transport. The company has extensive experience with bulk transport in tanks. – Regardless of whether air has entered, or whether there are gases that have developed due to the food waste, there must be a safety valve that must be opened so that overpressure is avoided. Nilsen believes the safety valve must have failed. – There should not be overpressure in a tank, he says. This is what the bulk tank looked like after the explosion. Photo: Lars Håkon Pedersen / news DSB: Likely with high pressure The Directorate for Social Security and Preparedness (DSB) has not yet carried out any investigations in connection with the explosion, according to Britt Skadberg. She is section manager for dangerous substances and industrial safety at DSB. – Without having detailed information about the transport in this case, it appears that the food waste that was transported developed gas at a pressure for which the tank was not designed. This possibly indicates that the contents should have been classified as dangerous goods, says Skadberg. The Norwegian Accident Investigation Board has asked for information from the police about the accident. They will carry out examinations of the trailer. Waste from the tanker filled up the roadside. Photo: Lars Håkon Pedersen / news – Inexplicable The tank that exploded is owned by TIP Group. Norden CEO Christian Petersen says he will not comment on the case until they have carried out their own investigations. news has been in contact with the day-to-day manager of the company that drove on E6 with the trailer. He confirms that it was liquid food waste that was transported. According to him, the trailer is around a year old. Tank truck driver Geir Lermo normally drives a train that transports dry substances in the same type of trailer. According to him, this type of transport is normally not associated with danger. – What has happened is completely incomprehensible. It is important to find out what has happened, says Lermo.
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Tanker driver has never seen anything like it – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
