Gas stations are dangerous!

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Gas Station Attendant Mowed Down*Video

[meloccom]

BLEVE stands for Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour explosion.
One occured where I live in Sydney Australia in 1990 and took out an entire LPG plant.
Here is vieo of how a BLEVE works.
YouTube - BLEVE - Explanation

[donauker]

Fatal Car Fire In Cumberland County Ruled Accidental

Investigators have determined that Friday morning's fatal car fire in Cumberland County was accidental, started by static electricity.

The coroner said Luther Byers, 19, of Camp Hill, died from inhaling super-heated gases from the flash fire.

Police said surveillance video shows Byers in the blue Toyota Corolla entering the BP station in Lower Allen Township at about 3 a.m. Friday, then getting out to fill his tank.

Police Chief Frank Williamson said investigators know that Byers was not smoking and was not using a cell phone, but they remain unsure of what went wrong.

"The vapors from gasoline are what burned. The vapors are given off every time you fuel your vehicle. Somewhere along the line as he was fueling the vehicle there was a static electric discharge that ignited the vapors," Williamson said.

[vfx]

I love this thread.

On a related note, Chelsea Sexton says the are over 250,000 gasoline fires I don't have a linkable page from the DOT yet but it's a nice stat to pull out when EV safety is the subject.

[AnOutsider]

have to also account for human stupidity

The Fire Button at the Gas Station video clip - Stupid videos - BoomClips.com

[Louis S. Parkin]

These are some real good videos i wont be using my phone again at the gas stations thats for sure, Does anyone know why phones make fires though?

[mpt]

These are some real good videos i wont be using my phone again at the gas stations thats for sure, Does anyone know why phones make fires though?

I was told once that it was more often than not dropt phones sparking as batteries fall out or get stood on. I think it's more likely for the same reason as airlines ask you to turn of electrical equipment during take off and landing... So you'll pay more attention to the job at hand.

[DrTaras]

VFX... great thread!

[doug]

Discussion about the explosion and sinking of an off shore oil rig and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico went here.



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[vfx]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36969158/ns/us_news-life/

updated 12:41 p.m. PT, Wed., May 5, 2010
SAN ANTONIO - An 18-wheeler being loaded with fuel at a San Antonio refinery exploded Wednesday, setting off a chain reaction of smaller explosions and sending a towering plume of thick black smoke over the city's southeast side. One person was critically burned, and the driver of the exploding truck remained missing.