But, the perils and the volatility of butane, or liquid petroleum gas - as it is properly known - were brought into sharp focus this weekend in Guatemala City when there was a terrible fire at a Tomza gas depot.
It happened early on Sunday morning when the propane gas plant burst into flames in a series of violent explosions that caused panic on the nearby residents of zone 12 in the Guatemala city. News outlets from Guatemala report that persons fainted at the sight of the giant explosion - which launched gas tanks into the air one after the other like rockets or missiles. According to reports some two thousand four hundred gas cylinders exploded during the ordeal. Nevertheless, under these conditions some 200 firefighters, volunteers and other municipal officers worked to quell the incendiary. Authorities in Guatemala say the explosion was caused by a single cylinder in bad condition.
It's a cautionary tale worth noting since, we are told, one Central American LPG gas company is presently pushing to set up a depot within congested areas of Belize City.
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