38 replies to this topic

[Genesee Ted]

So a good friend of mine and amazing homebrewer (registered here, but hasn't posted yet) called me the other day to tell me about how the police and fire depts raided his apartment the other day. They went through all his stuff without him being informed and eventually confiscated 2 propane tanks. He got them back, but was informed that they aren't to be stored inside. So he has to leave them outside of his sketchy apartment complex for anyone to just jack. I get that it is a fire hazard. The maintenance guy has been up his ass about using the burner too close to the building and was the one who called the cops. He told them that my friend was making meth. Pretty bullshit if you ask me. If the property management thought that there was any sort of problem they should have done their own checking first before raiding someone's living space.

[BlKtRe]

Coming from a firefighter perspective I think its BS that your friend would put the others living in his apartment complex live's at risk using his burner in that manner and storing his propane tanks inside. Homebrew brother of mine or not I still feel this way. And how it came into the PD and FD hands, well so be it.

[MtnBrewer]

That's bullshit.I remember (I think) Lagerdemain telling the story of how he was out brewing one day and a squad car slowly rolls by his place, makes a block and then stops in front of the house. Two officers get out and tell him that there's been a report of him cooking meth. He showed them what he was up to and they were very interested in it. They weren't dicks or anything and he invited them back when they were off duty to come share a beer with him.But that....that's bullshit.

[BlKtRe]

That's bullshit.

I suspect most will feel this way until the day you pull dead, charred bodies out of apartment buildings.

[MtnBrewer]

I suspect most will feel this way until the day you pull dead, charred bodies out of apartment buildings.

No, I hear you on that point. (However I don't see why it's a bigger hazard stored inside than outside.)What's BS is the guy diming him out like that.

[BlKtRe]

He was told over and over not to use the burner in that manner. Plenty of strikes there. Also, most people see this same type of equipment and think meth cookers. Misinformed people I can get that. And who really knows exactly what the maint. guy actually reported it as in the first place. You guys can call BS all you want. I stand by my perspective. He got caught doing what he was asked multiple times not to do. So I could care less if most people think he was dimed out. Bottom line is a fire risk (a high one at that) was hopefully nixed potentially saving lives. Its as simple as that. If someone in my daughters complex was doing this it would end abruptly if I found out about it. Google burning propane tanks inside structures and see what you find. Im sure plenty. Im done on this topic and hope lessons have been learned.

[djinkc]

Man, this went south fast. If he was making meth it would be in the aisle at Walmart, just like everyone else does.

[BlKtRe]

So a good friend of mine and amazing homebrewer (registered here, but hasn't posted yet) called me the other day to tell me about how the police and fire depts raided his apartment the other day. They went through all his stuff without him being informed and eventually confiscated 2 propane tanks. He got them back, but was informed that they aren't to be stored inside. So he has to leave them outside of his sketchy apartment complex for anyone to just jack. I get that it is a fire hazard. The maintenance guy has been up his ass about using the burner too close to the building and was the one who called the cops. He told them that my friend was making meth. Pretty bullshit if you ask me. If the property management thought that there was any sort of problem they should have done their own checking first before raiding someone's living space.

Where did you read anything like that in the OP?

[MtnBrewer]

I can see I'm not going to win this one. But I do want to ask a question in all seriosity. Why is a propane tank in a house more likely to assplode than one outside?

[weave]

Overreaction by the cops. This could have been settled without all the drama. Was the homebrewer right for ignoring the pleas to use his equipment further from the building? Hell no. But really? The guy made a complaint that he was making meth? Total BS that deserves a false report charge. And confiscation of equipment when it was obviously not the situation that was reported is total crap too.I'm sure homebrewer dude learned a lesson here but all the drama is needless crap. I would expect better professionalism from a professional police and fire force.

[djinkc]

I can see I'm not going to win this one. But I do want to ask a question in all seriosity. Why is a propane tank in a house more likely to assplode than one outside?

Confined space, ect. I would imagine this is a DOT violation.

[djinkc]

Department of Transportation rules apply to non-mobile buildings?

Dunno, I did say imagine. Just guessing. I always see propane tanks outside where they are being sold. Common sense, liability, or regulations.

[MtnBrewer]

Well I guess I need to get mine out of my garage then.

[djinkc]

Well I guess I need to get mine out of my garage then.

When I had them it was always outside. NG with a valve outside is nice.Not that I use it for brewing.

[BlKtRe]

Well I guess I need to get mine out of my garage then.

When FD shows up, the garage and the porch are expected places for these. Not inside trying to put out a fire or participating in other fire ground activities. Its never happened to me, but I've seen plenty of video and heard war stories of these tanks venting and igniting in a room where FD is working. Not pretty. How close burners, grills, or any other outside cooking equipment to buildings is up to your local ordinance. Im my city, its not allowed in, near, on decks etc. As far as Weave's comment about FD and PD and their professionalism, they get a call, they respond. And obviously after a investigation he got his tanks back with some advice. And no mention of a ticket. How is that unprofessional?

[pete maz]

So if the police went through his stuff w/o him being there, does that mean they got a warrant? I wouldn't want to be the guy who filed a bogus report that resulted in a warrant being issued. I imagine they would take that a little more seriously than the typical bogus report.That said, the guy's a bonehead for storing his propane inside an apartment complex. I don't know that there's a good alternative for the apartment dweller, but that still doesn't make it right or safe.

[Genesee Ted]

Wow this is the biggest thread the Beer forum has seen in a while... sheesh.His operation of the burner (I have been there when he has been using it) is far enough away from the building. Sure, they shouldn't have been inside, but that really isn't the point. The cops were not called because of that. I really get the safety thing. But it is out of hand to raid his living space over this. If they went to him and told him to put the tanks out of the building, he would have simply complied. To me this is a violation of 4th Amendment rights. They raided his house on a random report, with no investigation, and then found the tanks. At least he got them back, but it does not excuse a LOE going through his belongings. Say he had a smoked out joint in his ashtray. Should he then be charged? He doesn't smoke weed, but the point is valid.

[JMcG]

Storing propane indoors, esp in an apartment complex is not smart. Endangering others, as well as himself. If that's an example of his thought process...I think he's lucky they didn't cite him for fire code infraction and toss him from the building.I think the janitor is a dick, too.

[Genesee Ted]

Storing propane indoors, esp in an apartment complex is not smart. Endangering others, as well as himself.If that's an example of his thought process...I think he's lucky they didn't cite him for fire code infraction and toss him from the building.I think the janitor is a dick, too.

Yeah, it shouldn't be inside. But how about this... I have friends in Manhattan in high rises with little patios outside their apartments who have a grill and tanks right out there. Yeah, it is outside, but is it really that far out that it is more safe than just inside the doorway?

[positiveContact]

i think the risk is the propane not being to able to vent to the outside if the tank is venting. inside the concentration will build up. honestly it seems low risk though - propane has to be at the right proportions with air to actually ignite and I'm kind of under the impression that this is fairly unlikely to happen by accident. I'll let someone who knows chime in there...