Rate this!
Tim Blanchard
Member - 8 posts
There is a possibility that some persons did smell the gas, but took no action and continued to work normally. By continuing to breath a substance, the olfactory cells become numb or accustomed to the substance and no longer detect the smell, causing the victim to believe the hazard has gone away.
At that stage, the CNS (central nervous system) may attempt to raise other signals, such as headache, nausea etc. If these signals are not recogniosed and exposure continues, the body will continue to try and metabolise the substance and eventually the LD50 (leathal dose that kills 50% of a group) shall be exceeded.
The LD50 threshold may be exceeded due to either of ar a combiation of: type of organism exposed , amount or dose of substance exposed to, duration of exposure or the route of entry of the substance (injection, ingestion or inhalation)
Further, it has to be noted that LPG is heavier than air and will sink to the bottom of a basement, forming a "sea" of gas. Only when the basement becomes full of gas will the LPG become noticed above ground level. So it's not suprising "nobody" smelled lhe gas, they may well have done but failed to recognise the danger.
The volume of LPG filling a basement would no doubt be significant and only needed a source of ignition to be introduced for the tragic results to become obvious.
Soter.D
0 (0)
