Cell phones causing fires at the pump!?

Big-J

Member
The following is a warning from the Shell oil company regarding cell phones causing fires at the pump!:wtf: is there any truth to this? a buddy of mines from Conneticut sent it to me. just as a precaution im gonna leave my s*** in the car! fire and shiny blue Protege5's dont mix!


The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in
which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling
operations.

In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during
fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline
pump.

In the second, an individual suffered severe burns to their face when
fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car.

And in the third, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as
fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they
were fueling their car.


You should know that:
Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes

Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release
enough energy to provide a spark for ignition

Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling
lawn mowers, boat! , Etc.

Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other
materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, (i.e.
solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc.)

To sum it up, here are the: Four Rules for Safe Refueling


1) Turn off engine
2) Don't smoke
3) Don't use your cell phone - leave it inside the vehicle or turn it off
4) Don't re-enter your vehicle during fueling

Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to
try and make people aware of fires as a result of"static electricity" at
gas pumps. His company has researched 150 cases of these fires.


His results were very surprising:
1) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women.
2) Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle
while the nozzle was still pumping gas. When finished, they went back to
pull the nozzle out and the fire started, as a result of static.
3) Most had on rubber-soled shoes.
4) Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished.
This is why they are seldom involved in these types of fires.
5) Don't ever use cell phones when pumping gas
6) It is the vapors that come out of the gas that cause the fire, when
connected with static charges.
7) There were 29 fires where the vehicle was re-entered and the nozzle
was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some
resulted in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the
customer.
8) Seventeen fires occurred before, during or immediately after the gas
cap was removed and before fueling began.

Mr. Renkes stresses to NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling it
with gas.

If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping,
make sure you get out, close the door TOUCHING THE METAL, before you ever
pull the nozzle out. This way the static from your body will be
discharged before you ever
remove the nozzle.

As I mentioned earlier, The Petroleum Equipment Institute, along with
several other companies now, are really trying to make the public aware
of this danger. You can find out more information by going to
http://www.pei.org . Once here, click in the center of the screen where
it says "Stop Static".

I ask you to please send this information to ALL your family and friends,
especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas.
If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the children
out in time. Thanks for passing this along.

Mariellen R. Baxter
Head of Access Services Phone: 860 768.4266
Mortensen Library FAX: 860 768.5298
University of Hartford Email: Baxter@hartford.edu
*********************************
Diane Napert
Assistant Head, Allen Library
The Hartt School
University of Hartford
West Hartford, CT 06117

Phone: (860) 768-4467
Fax: (860) 768-5295
Email: napert@mail.hartford.edu
*********************************
 
according to the petroleum equipment institute pump fires are usually caused by static discharge and NOT cellular phones.or at least they have not heard of any documented cases. sorry for the false alarm.



Our report does not pertain to cellular telephones.

In fact, PEI has not been able to document a single refueling fire incident related to a cell phone.

Only refueling fires that appear to be started by static electrical discharge are detailed in our report. None of the electrical discharges we have documented involved any electronic devices.
 
Some things are just beyond reason and require little else besides a BS flag. This is one of them. While static electricity can create sparks strong enough to ignite gas vapors (when you feel a static shock, it's at least 2,000kW) and is actually a remote threat, cell phones do not really create this kind of problem.

Another little nugget of trivia for you: If you ever look at a table showing the triboelectric series of materials, you'll see that cars, especially ones that have fabric seats that have been stain guarded (teflon) are prime for creating static electricity. This is why a lot of people shock the hell out of themselves every time they get out of the car. The triboelectric table, simply put, puts materials in order of increasing/decreasing positive or electric charge. The farther two materials are apart from each other, the better they create static electricity. Guess what two materials are at opposite ends of this chart? You guessed it - human hands and all the things on your car seat, especially if you've had it stain guarded.

In the end, you have to decide for yourself whether you believe
a)what I claim is a made-up story spammed across the internet, or
b)some guy (me) posting about it on an internet message board.

If it makes you feel better, turn your phone off - it doesn't hurt (unless you miss an important call), but it's not necessary.


Patrick
 
There has been many storeis surrounding this and think 1 or two actually were killed in fires. Unsure if it was directly related to the phones or the standard discharge.

But if you have a Nextel phone, then steer clear. :) These things disturb all kindas of equipment. Drives my car stereo nuts when talking to people, speakers cracking and poping. Does it with everyone else Nextel phones to.
 
You can throw up your BS flag if you like....

but if ANYONE is stupid enough to get out of their car....start pumping gas and then commence to use ANY ELECTRIC device, all of which have the potential to create a spark, then YOU need to be a winner of a "darwin award" and be removed from the gene pool.

Sorry.....even if there were only ONE chance in a MILLION that your cell could create the spark...is it worth it? is there ANY phone call that you have ever recieved that is so important that you would take that chance? that it just couldn't wait? I think not.....

(stash)
 
Thats true Sir Nuke, can't they take the one minute to just put the phone down and pump gas. Seem people read papers and such as if their time is that valuable.

But anyone else see the little warnings now that are at the pumps, they now include a cell phone warning....so BS or not they are taking it seriously.
 
Urban legend or truth, who knows. But next time you are pumping gas look at the warning sticker on the pump. The ones in my neighborhood have a warning against cells phone use.
 
I'm not saying I get out of the car and I'm talking on the phone while I'm pumping gas - in fact, I don't talk on the phone while I'm driving around anyway. I couldn't agree more with the sentiment about people being so caught up with their phones and the newspaper when they should be worrying about other things. I'm just saying there are other things you need to worry about (such as static electricity) that pose much greater threats (several orders of magnitude greater) and this isn't really that big of a problem. It's more over-hyped than Charlie's Angels II, killer bees from the Amazon, and the new VW Beetle all put together.


Patrick
 
It has some truth to it. When I was in the military, the demolition men did a demonstration with a regular handheld CB radio and the antenna against a florescent light bulb. There was enough static electricity to light it. IMO, I think that a cell phone emitts more radio energy than a CB radio. It is just smart not to be the one who verfies if it is true or not.


p5blk_stal (blackp5)
 
What you say is very true Patrick....there ARE greater dangers than the cell phone....but its a danger none the less.

I for one certainly do NOT want to be the first in my neighborhood to win the CELL PHONE LOTTERY and blow up me and my car at the pumps.

(stash)
 
i saw it on the news. it can happen.

the worst though is static electricity, you can easily eliminate that by touching your car body before you touch the pump to dispel any built up charge from the carpeted interior.

if it ever happens to you don't pull the pump out. it spews gas and fire everywhere. a fireman did a demonstration where he showed the fumes extinguish themselves if you just leave it.
 
the biggest issue at the pumps is when you start pumping gas go get back in your car, creating the static charge from the seat, then go back and touch the metal handle of the pump, gas vapors + spark = ignition!!:eek:
 
All the pumps around my area have big warning stickers on them saying not to get back into your car and NOT to use a cell phone. It might be a real remote chance but no phone conversation is worth the risk of getting your face burned off....or worse. I leave mine in the car.
 
At one of the Chevron stations i got to every once and a while, they had a display on the counter showing 4 or 5 photos in a sequence of a fire cause by someone on their cell phone while pumping gas. It scares the hell out of me thinking about it.

About that 1 in a million thing...I agree. Plus, if you were that "lucky person", assuming that you lived to tell about it, how embarassing would that be to know you ignored the warnings and got on your phone anyways?? POOF!! (flame)
 

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