On 6/21/2012 1:00 PM, Paul Schiller wrote:

In my limited experience, when compressor tanks go bad, it has been
with a "hiss" rather than a "bang".


One of my uncles used to be district manager for 'Bay' Gasoline
stations in Florida. One station had a compressor's tank rupture and
blew a hole in the wall. Some of the shrapnel killed someone. This was
back in the early '60s. After that, all the station's compressors were
moved outside, and into concrete block sheds to reduce or stop future
damage. He had an old station compressor in his garage, but it was only
turned on when he needed air, and never let it run up to full pressure
if anyone was inside the building. He didn't have enough room to build a
similar shed, since the garage was right next to the property line.