Why is it that there is so many fires at filling stations while filling gas tanks?
I know the reason is static electricity but this is something I never hear of until the last few years.
I have read where some are caused when people get back in their car while filling then when they touch the nozzle there is a spark. Also where some are caused from filling gas containers in a pickup truck, especially one with a plastic liner.
I wonder if some are not caused by cell phones… some pumps have signs to not use a cell phone but some stupid people never read or pay any attention to signs.
There always has been static electricity and careless people.
I previously lived in an dry windy area for 40 years that was very bad for static electricity but **I never heard of a fire while filling the tank. **
Mythbusters tackled this one recently. Cell phones virtually CANNOT cause gasoline fires.
I don’t knwo why you’r saying there are so many…I wasn’t aware that this was a very common problem. The expert interviewee on Mythbusters said he’s known of only a hundred or so in the last decade. (Just my recollection, I could be off). But the point is that it’s a incredibly small number considering the bajillions of times per year people operate gas pumps.
People’s clothing rubbing against uphostelry causes a lot of static electricity. The 2nd most common cause of failure of car radios (after bad installation) is people brushing against the antenna getting out of the car.
Women going back into their cars to get their purses and people getting in/out to use their cell phone while pumping cause most fires. But again, it’s the act of getting in/out that’s the problem.
Does someone have a cite showing there really are many fires in filling stations? I’ve never witnessed one, and I don’t believe I know anyone who’s ever witnessed one. I can’t recall ever reading about a fire at a filling station in the local paper. Gasoline spilled on the ground evaporates almost immediately, and large containers of gasoline will generally smother small flames introduced to them (though I wouldn’t want to try it myself). If static electricity could easily ignite gasoline vapors, it would seem that there would be far more, and I’m just not seeing it.
My guess: warnings against static electricity (much like warnings against cell phones) are simply liabilities; the actual chance of such a fire is very small.
Except by causing you to be inattentive and increasing the chance of making a stupid mistake. Like driving off while the nozzle is still stuck in your car. (Which may not cause a fire, but which is the justfification for banning cell phones IIRC)
Then why is the signs on pumps at SAMS not to use cell phones… they must not heard of “Mythbusters”.
The reason I’m saying it is because I know of three gas tank fires at filling stations within 50 miles in the last couple years. The fire dept, recommends not to remove the nozzle if it flashes… seems this is the worse thing one can do.
I saw that episode and I remember them saying that climbing in and out of your car while pumping gas is the best way to blow your self up. That causes static and if the first thing you touch after you get put is the gasoline nozzel, that gives you your best chance at starting a fire.
I’d like to see some evidence ANY of these things ever happen more than once in a blue moon. In my entire life I don’t believe I’ve seen or heard a news story about someone starting a fire at a gas station.
Well, I don’t know how often a blue moon occurs (although I’m sure Cecil did a column), but according to CNN, “The Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) has documented 129 such fires since the early 1990s.” The PEI website has a summary of their report and a breakdown of the statistics. Keep in mind that these statistics include only the incidents that have been directly reported to the PEI, an organization that most likely has no interest in overstating the numbers.
Given the number of times per year that people put gas into their cars, the incidence of fires at pumps is indeed rare, but it’s certainly not unheard of.
There should be more fires than what there is. Most of the people filling up are rank amateurs at handling a toxic, highly flamable liquid.
I’ve seen a woman jam the filler cap into the nozzle while she talked on her phone, the nozzle fell out of her tank and spewed gasoline onto the ground, she had a look of bewilderment as to put the phone down or grab the nozzle and shut of the flow.
Another thing I am always seeing is some bozo who leaves his motor running and fills the tank while smoking.
What’s so important about using your phone at the dispenser anyway? Better to wait ‘till you’re on the freeway where you can be a hazard to a lot more people.
Ridin’ the dots. America’s newest sport.
I saw a film where somebody’s car caught fire while they were filling the tank. I don’t remember what the point was, but they did mention static electricity.
I need to pay more attention, I guess.
There have been several fires involving gas cans in the bed of pickups.
NO, they put up the sign for they know there is a DANGER.
You ever see signs not to operate mobile radio transmitters in a blasting zone. Same thing… a cell phone is a radio transmitter at lower output wattage.
This is irrelevant. A radio transmitter is not an ignition source. The warning for blasting zones is so stray emissions do not inadvertently cause accidental discharge of electric blasting caps from current induced by the emissions.
