A ‘BOMB’ THAT CAN KILL 200 000

MBABANE – An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  The above statement or adage expresses a general truth that it is wiser and easier to stop something happening in the first place than to repair the damage after it has happened.

Take for instance the high capacity fuel storage tanks along the King Sobhuza II Avenue in Matsapha whose proximity to the LP gas or Afrox handigas depot raises fears among residents and businesspeople.
Experts in fire extinguishing and bomb disposal institutions say Manzini and Matsapha can be wiped out in no time if fire was to cause the gas and petrol/diesel to react with each other. 

This is due to the fact that fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), both made from crude oil, are highly explosive and easily ignitable mixtures with the air, experts told the Times SUNDAY.  The location of the fuel and gas storages in close proximity to each other raises fears among business people and residents that the potential of an explosion should not be underestimated in Matsapha.
The fuel storage tanks are owned by Total Swaziland, Galp, Puma while the LPG depot belongs to Afrox Gas and Gear.

The experts pointed to the fact that they were actually sitting on a time bomb. The estimated population of Matsapha is 35 000 during the day and 7 000 at night and that of Manzini is 120 000 people during daytime and 33 000 during the night, according to a document seen by this newspaper. 
The expert said human and property loss in large-scales could be possible because the explosion could cause fire that can destroy the entire Matsapha Industrial Site and spread to the commercial part of Matsapha at a fast rate.  
 “For an explosion to occur, three elements need to come together - a flammable gas, air and a source of ignition. The tanks are so huge and the impact can be disastrous,” the expert said.

He explained that the ignition source of an explosion could be a naked flame (eg pilot light), a spark (e.g. from an engine or electrical switch) or a hot surface above the ignition temperature of the gas/vapour (e.g. engine exhaust manifold).

SOURCE OF IGNITION
Once the source of ignition has started, the heat generated is sufficient to sustain the reaction throughout the entire mixture resulting in the explosion, the expert narrated.
For security reasons, this newspaper would not reveal the quantity of gas and petroleum products contained by the tanks.
It has been established that Matsapha Town Council was planning to relocate the tanks to an alternative site. This, the council was expected to do for public safety reasons, said Babhekile Dlamini, the Municipality’s Communications Officer.

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