Warning!!! Do Not Smoke In Porta-Johns!!!!

[twyacht]

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/offbeat/exploding-toilet-injures-air-force-man-during-military-exercise-ncxdc-072511

Exploding Toilet Injures Air Force Man during Military Exercise

Updated: Wednesday, 27 Jul 2011, 6:29 AM EDT
Published : Monday, 25 Jul 2011, 7:43 AM EDT

By The Courier-Mail

ROCKHAMPTON, Australia - A man from the Royal Australian Air Force suffered life-threatening third-degree burns after a portaloo exploded Monday at an airport Down Under -- an incident connected to an ongoing US-led military exercise in the area, The Courier-Mail reported.

Officials believe the man was using the portable toilet (also known as a port-a-potty) at Rockhampton Airport, in the state of Queensland, when he lit a cigarette.

"There was some sort of explosion," a Department of Community Safety spokeswoman said. "He suffered burns to his head, face, arms, chest and airways."

The man, whose identity was not released, was taken to the Rockhampton Hospital in a serious condition.

A spokeswoman from Talisman Sabre 2011 -- a US-led exercise supported by Australian forces -- confirmed the explosion was a military incident but said no further information was available at this stage.

"I can confirm that an incident has happened but we're still gathering information," the spokeswoman said.

There has been speculation that methane build-up in a portable toilet could cause it to explode -- however that theory was not proved when tested by TV science show "Mythbusters."

On Saturday officials revealed nine Australian soldiers involved in the exercise were injured when an armored vehicle rolled down an embankment at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, north of Rockhampton.

Talisman Sabre features land, sea and air training throughout Queensland and the Northern Territory, and is designed to improve combat training, readiness and interoperability. This year's exercise -- the fourth Talisman Sabre -- involves some 22,000 personnel and runs until July 29, according to Stars and Stripes.

Read more: couriermail.com.au

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  That's why DDMac's avatar has the door propped open....

[jaybet]

I went in one yesterday and thought,  "Wow...this is what it would be like to die in an EZ-Bake Oven.

[TAB]

the concentrations need for that to happen would be very high.  like your dead high.

[billt]

Skip to :50 second mark.  Bill T.

[blackwolfe]

Methane it self is non toxic.  Where the dangers come from is that if it displaces enough oxygen you can die from asphyxiation.  You need about 19.5% Oxygen.  At 12% O2 levels unconsciousness and death may occur without warning.

The flammability levels for methane is 5%-15%.  So in theory you could have a portapotty with enough O2 to live and enough methane to be in the flammability range.  I believe you would need O2 or other suitable oxidizer present in the correct proportions  for a fire or explosion to take place.   Who knows what else may have been placed in this portapotty that may have contributed to an flammable/explosive mixture.  I have not checked into it, but I believe you may be able to have such a high concentration of methane that that it will prevent it from igniting.  That was the speculation  for why an oil and gas well near where I lived in my college days didn't burn when there was a blowout.

[Sponsor]

[Solus]

Air is about 20.95% O2, 79.09% nitrogen and the rest "other".

For methane to get much above 5% it would have to displace a greater ratio of nitrogen and almost no 02 to keep it near 19.5%...

So, if the methane was over 5%, you might notice a difficulty in breathing?

At the ratio above it looks like if methane replaced the air in that ratio, for 5%, 1% of 02 and 4% of nitrogen would be displaced.

[tombogan03884]

Solus, think about what you just said.
With 5-15% methane (ass gas ) you are going to have difficulty breathing no matter how much oxygen there is in the mix ! 

[Solus]

Solus, think about what you just said.
With 5-15% methane (ass gas ) you are going to have difficulty breathing no matter how much oxygen there is in the mix ! 

Ooops....I guess I can't smell the forest for the trees......or something...

[blackwolfe]

Actually, I think methane  alone is colorless and odorless.

[BAC]