I stamped my feet as I stood watching the propane gauges inch upward. When the gauges read 89% I climbed the stairs to the top of the tanks, walked down the gangway to the two tanks and closed their fill valves. Now I was down to one tank to top-off before opening three more tanks to be filled.

Assuming I had plenty of time, before this last tank was filled, I headed for the office to fill out the drivers paperwork. The heat of the office was a relief from the cold, as I removed my parka and sat down to type out his bill of lading.

I was typing when suddenly I heard a roar. I jumped up and ran to the door. With a sinking feeling in my gut, I knew what it was. The lone propane tank had filled and it’s three, six inch relief valves, were all spewing propane into the still night air.

I turned off the electric heater in the office, then ordered the driver to go out on the street and not to let any cars drive through the cloud of propane. Outside, my opened parka flapping, I ran to the power panel.