Propane tanks found on water heater

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) has been called to investigate after a Hamilton resident was caught using approximately 20-pound propane tanks — the same ones used on a barbecue — for the water heater in a home.

“Using propane tanks indoors is extremely dangerous and can lead to explosions, fires, carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, and death,” TSSA spokesperson Steve Robinson said.

The tanks, found in the basement of 103 Barnsdale Ave. N., leaked, leading to high levels of “explosive” gas detected in the air Thursday, said fire department spokesperson Allison Jones. The call came in around 8 p.m. Thursday from a resident complaining of an unknown smell in the basement.

When firefighters arrived, their multi-gas detecting equipment discovered dangerous levels of explosive material. The house and about seven others were evacuated on the block from Barton Street East to Beechwood Avenue. Nobody was injured.

Around 10:30 p.m. the hazardous materials team found the leaking propane tanks, which were being used to fuel the hot water tank in the basement.

The fire department asked the TSSA to investigate, Robinson said, noting an investigator would probe the scene. The TSSA enforces Ontario’s fuels safety laws regulating the transportation, storage, handling and use of fuels.