A recent shipboard hazard safely abated in the Port of Los Angeles caused many to pursue the LAFD historical archive of harbor emergencies, especially the Berth 223, S.S. Markay and S.S. Sansinena explosions that brought forth operational and procedural safeguards used aboard the Probo Elk this week.

If there is one challenge that remains however, it is our publicly conveying the danger of fire meeting bulk flammables, especially those that are pressurized or vapor producing.

Please allow us to introduce you to the phenomenon of BLEVE.

Pronounced blevy (bleh-vee), it is an acronym for "Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion". This is a type of explosion that can occur when a vessel containing a pressurized liquid ruptures. The brief video below portrays a simple BLEVE involving one over-the-road tank truck.

If a picture is worth a thousand words... we hope you now understand the Los Angeles Fire Department's obsession with safety at the scene of every emergency, and our unswerving commitment to Fire Prevention.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department