SC - Recipe: Rice

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Chris Stanifer wrote:

> I believe most propane tanks have warning labels which
> read something to the effect of:  DO NOT USE THIS
> PRODUCT IN AN ENCLOSED SPACE...
> 
> Just what the manufacturer considers "enclosed" is, I
> suppose, a matter of opinion, but I, personally, would
> not be willing to test any theories on it.
> 
> I'll take my SPAM cold out of the can... it's hard to
> enjoy it, even if it's hot, when you are dying of
> propane or carbon monoxide asphyxiation...

You're welcome to your Spam, Bal, but I will repeat something someone
already said:

The accident at Estrella was largely due to misuse of a propane heater.
It was used in a small, zippered down modern tent. That is a far cry
from the kitchen of a house. Ventilation is the issue.

There have been a couple of accounts saying that the heater at Estrella
was not lit. I have to wonder about that- some people said the gentleman
had a lighter in his hand, which may or may not signify. The information
that would settle the question, of course, would come from the coroner,
and would be whether or not there was propane in their lungs.

James says (and he's busy studying for fire exams, so I would hope he
knows) that a very like scenarior is this: the couple came back, lit the
heater, and went to sleep. The flame on the heater uses up the oxygen in
the tent (which it will- flames use the same proportion of oxygen as
people do, but at a higher rate). The couple aspyxiates, and so does the
heater- without oxygen the flame witt go out. Then the tent filld with
the propane that continues to spill out of the heater.

Here's a little bit of what he sent me:

> Here's a lovely statistic for you. At around only 1 percent of the air
> in the tent, carbon monoxide will cause immediate unconsciousness and
> then death within three minutes. It's also one and a half times as dense
> as air.  At one tenth of one percent, you will pass out after an hour.
> At roughly the same percentages, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen cyanide
> will kill you. Hydrogen chloride is produced by burning plastics, such
> as PVC (such a rare thing in the SCA), and hydrogen cyanide is produced
> from burning _wool_, nylon, polyurethane foam, rubber and paper. Burning
> PVC is pungent and irratible, and a person might leave if their awake.
> Unless they are aware of why the inside of the tent smells of burn
> almonds.....

If y'all are interested I cal send you the whole post on the subject.
We're thinking of writing an article together on the issue...

'Lainie