Alabama Injury Lawyers Blog

Should we be concerned with current gas containers?
by Gregory S, Cusimano

Howard Dawn poured gasoline into the tank of his lawn mower, placed the cap on the gas container spout and placed it in the middle of a nearby outdoor table in his yard. 

Jimmy, his 4 year old son, playing in the backyard, somehow picked up the gas container, the cap came off and Jimmy dragged the container into the open garage. When Howard saw Jimmy and the gas container lying on the floor in a puddle of gasoline, he ran and grabbed Jimmy. 

As he did the gasoline vapors caught on fire and the gas container exploded, engulfing them in flames, severely burning Jimmy and Howard. How could that be? What could have ignited the gasoline? Why would the plastic container explode?

It's spring, we all love being outside, working in the yard, smelling fresh cut grass enjoying Alabama's new growth of azaleas. We can be close to tragedy without ever knowing it. If you have a weed eater, lawn mower or gasoline blower, you are likely to have a cheap red plastic gasoline container. Now we know that something we think is simple and cheap would not explode like dynamite engulfing us or our children in flames. Right? Wrong! Children and family members have been devastatingly burned by these yard bombs. Fumes can ignite from hidden sources and the fire re-enters the containers which explode. We never would have guessed how easily the fumes can ignite. A pilot light, light switch, an open flame or even static electricity can start the fire.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just last year finally required plastic gas cans or containers to have safety caps which are resistant to being open easily by children. Although overdue, it was a good step.

Continue reading "Alabama Consumers Beware of Exploding Plastic Gas Containers" »

Fumes Ignite Re-Enter Gas Container and Explode!

Do you have a plastic gas container you use? I'll bet it doesn't have a fire safety shield. For well over 100 years gas cans for gas storage were known to be equipped with safety shields - a simple mesh filter that keeps ignited fumes from going back into the container and exploding injuring and killing people. Once big box stores started buying and selling things for the cheapest prices possible makers of gas containers started using plastics and chose to sell the containers without the simple safety shield.

Since then many have been injured and killed by fires and explosions that could have been prevented if a simple safety shield costing pennies had been included. Fumes Ignite Re-Enter Gas Container and Explode!

Do you have a plastic gas container you use? I'll bet it doesn't have a fire safety shield. For well over 100 years gas cans for gas storage were known to be equipped with safety shields - a simple mesh filter that keeps ignited fumes from going back into the container and exploding injuring and killing people. Once big box stores started buying and selling things for the cheapest prices possible makers of gas containers started using plastics and chose to sell the containers without the simple safety shield.

Since then many have been injured and killed by fires and explosions that could have been prevented if a simple safety shield costing pennies had been included.