Why H2 gas is hazardous?

Hydrogen gas as a molecule has a molecular weight of two. As an atom H has one electron
and one proton. The minimum number of electrons that an element requires for stability is
two. Since the H atom has just one electron it is very reactive and looks for electrons to get
itself reduced to an H2 stable molecule.

2H + 2e = H2
This makes H a strong reducing agent. Therefore, its reaction with O2 which is an oxidizing
agent is violent.
H2 gas has the highest velocity within gases

The kinetic energy of any gas is expressed at temperature T by equation KE = 3/2KT [ K is a

constant called Boltzmann constant.
While at temperature Tall gases have the same KE, H2 has the highest velocity speed of
molecule because it has the smallest mass. KE = 1/mV2 explains why H2 has the highest
velocity. This implies in the case of fire it can not only spread very fast in the event of
explosion it can blow things like a missile at very high speed to many miles depending on the
intensity of the reaction

Activation energy diagram for the reaction of H2 and O2

Chemical reaction of H2 with O2
Now coming to the chemical reaction of H2 with O2, the following should be considered
2H2 + O2 = 2H2O

H2 by itself does not have enough kinetic energy to break two bonds of O2. It needs energy.
Therefore, H2 does not react with O2 at ambient temperature.
Following reactions happen when H2 reacts with O2
H2 = H - H --------[1]

O2 = O = O -------- [2]
Both reactions [1] and [2] are bond-breaking endothermic. Both require external energy
H2O = H - O - H ---------------- [3]
Reaction [3] is a bond-making heat-generating reaction.

Overall H2O formation is an exothermic reaction that generates heat and that is the hazard.
But before that, both H2 and O2 have to split into atoms needing energy from outside.