RogerS
Established Member
DAMHIKT.
We all know how volatile petrol is. I always thought that central heating oil was a rather lethargic cousin in terms of volatility.
Part of the renovation work at the cottage saw the demise of an old very large metal oil tank for the boiler. I'd drained about 60 litres of oil from it and had about 3 litres left. I'd also managed to angle grind quite a few panels away to make it lighter (after venting it). We managed to manhandle the tank down onto level ground but because it was so heavy we left it between the garage and the house.
What to do about the remaining oil? I had the brainwave of soaking up a bit of the oil into a cloth, setting light to it and then putting it into the oil, thinking that the cloth would act like a very large wick, draw up the oil as it burned away until there was nothing left.
So I did this. It seemed to be burning quite quietly and I wandered off and forgot all about it. Luckily for me I toddled back about 10 minutes later to see flames leaping out of the top of the tank, licking hungrily at the eaves of the house and the oil boiling and having a whale of a time.
Basically this idiot had created a very large chip pan fire
Quite calmly, all things considered, I went and got some old curtains that were lying around in the garden and which were sopping wet. I tossed them onto the oil and managed to put out some of the flames but not all. More curtains followed and then some more until finally it was out but it was a devil to put out.
In hindsight, the heat from the burning cloth in close proximity to the oil gradually heated it up until it reached ignition point and meltdown.
Shadowfax...if you read this then you'd be well within your rights to call me an absolute plonker.
We all know how volatile petrol is. I always thought that central heating oil was a rather lethargic cousin in terms of volatility.
Part of the renovation work at the cottage saw the demise of an old very large metal oil tank for the boiler. I'd drained about 60 litres of oil from it and had about 3 litres left. I'd also managed to angle grind quite a few panels away to make it lighter (after venting it). We managed to manhandle the tank down onto level ground but because it was so heavy we left it between the garage and the house.
What to do about the remaining oil? I had the brainwave of soaking up a bit of the oil into a cloth, setting light to it and then putting it into the oil, thinking that the cloth would act like a very large wick, draw up the oil as it burned away until there was nothing left.
So I did this. It seemed to be burning quite quietly and I wandered off and forgot all about it. Luckily for me I toddled back about 10 minutes later to see flames leaping out of the top of the tank, licking hungrily at the eaves of the house and the oil boiling and having a whale of a time.
Basically this idiot had created a very large chip pan fire
Quite calmly, all things considered, I went and got some old curtains that were lying around in the garden and which were sopping wet. I tossed them onto the oil and managed to put out some of the flames but not all. More curtains followed and then some more until finally it was out but it was a devil to put out.
In hindsight, the heat from the burning cloth in close proximity to the oil gradually heated it up until it reached ignition point and meltdown.
Shadowfax...if you read this then you'd be well within your rights to call me an absolute plonker.
