title: [Fire disaster due to deflagration of a propane gas-air mixture].
abstract: On 26 Nov 2012, a serious fire occurred at Neustadt/Black Forest in which 14 persons in a sheltered workshop died and 10 other individuals were injured. The fire was caused by the unbridled escape of propane gas due to accidental disconnection of the screw fixing between a gas bottle and a catalytic heater. Deflagration of the propane gas-air mixture set the workshop facilities on fire. In spite of partly extensive burns the fatally injured victims could be rapidly identified. The results of the fire investigations at the scene and the autopsy findings are presented. Carboxyhemoglobin concentrations ranged between 8 and 56 % and signs of fire fume inhalation were present in all cases. Three victims had eardrum ruptures due to the sudden increase in air pressure during the deflagration.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nadjem
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.forename: Dorothee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Geisenberger
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pircher
authors.forename: Markus Große
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Perdekampl
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thierauf-Emberger
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D002056:Burns / Q000473:pathology*; D005107:Explosions / Q000145:classification*; D005390:Fires; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000473:pathology*; D011407:Propane
chemical_list: D011407:Propane