I've never heard of any soda acid tank bursting,
ever. Not saying its not possible, but never heard that as a reason for their obsolescence.
As to the hose plugging and causing this type of failure, I think it highly unlikely. Those tanks are pressure tested to 500 PSI. They may have been obsoleted, but I think mostly because they are useless or even dangerous for so many types of fire. 500 PSI would clear almost any obstruction unless deliberately inserted (like a plug of epoxy), and even then the hose is more likely to burst and relive the pressure before the tank...
They would be easy to re-purpose to something much more useful than a ****** lamp;
I made one (three actually) into a portable pressurized water tank for camping. I installed a bulkhead connector in the top ran a hose to the bottom and installed a small valve and some 1/4" pipe and 45 and 90 degree elbows, and installed a low flow shower head on that. The hose was cut off short and a Schrader valve installed in it to pressurize it. (Barbed fittings and hose clamps) or you can cap it and install a threaded Schader in the cap, or drill hole in the top shoulder of the tank and install tire stem.
You can use a portable pump, off your car, or a hand pump, and it will work with as little as 10 PSI. Having running water like this saves water when camping, as the low flow shower head, if equipped with and even finer restriction in the dispersal plate does a great job of rinsing. (another tip: use a Dobie pat, a sponge with an outside scrubbing wrapper, loaded with dish soap and cleaning dishes with this setup in camp or anywhere else is easy. a little hot water to give a final rinse and you are done...)
With an extension and the addition of hot/warm water, you can also have hot showers!
I've even had the tank setting partly in or at least near the camp fire to heat the water and painted them flat black for solar heating (it will actually hit slightly above 100 deg in the sun)
You can also use the second empty to make a small portable air tank. I did that and added a small air regulator, and used that with the water tank for constant pressure. I usually kept mine at 125 psi max (1/4 the test pressure) just don't have any small leaks... I stopped using it once I figured out a bicycle tire pump was smaller and easier than messing with it all.
Lastly, you can put on some better hose, and a good 1/4 turn cut off valve, and a screw in Schrader valve to the top and have a fairly high pressure if short lived sprayer. You have to set it upside down to use it, but no big deal, as there is a carry handle on the bottom "dish". (I once used a pressurized water extinguisher to hose out a deer I was cleaning. MUCH faster/easier..)
