[atrus]

I mean, doesn't any big energy storage device become essentially a bomb? Batteries have some pretty impressive failure modes. As do large tanks of fuel. Even piped in energy sources can be dangerous as well. How many houses have literally exploded over a leaking gas line? Or burnt down due to faulty wiring?

Large amounts of energy stored in an area is inherently dangerous, no matter the form.

[jandrese]

People talk about batteries "exploding", but really they're just burning fast. An air tank explosion however will decimate everything nearby. Even small SCUBA tanks can release a tremendous amount of energy when they go, which is why they are typically refilled inside of water baths.

[Doxin]

Scuba tanks operate at wildly higher pressures than your average air compressor. Scuba tanks are at anywhere from 160 bar to 240 bar. The usual sort of compressor you'd use for running your tools tops out at 8 bar.

Make no mistake, 8 bar escaping from a compressor is no joke. It's the equivalent of two elephants worth of air suddenly entering the room. It'll rupture eardrums and shatter windows but the building will still be standing. I wouldn't be so sure about that when a scuba tank decides to explode though.