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STATIS CAUSES PUMP FIRES

By JEFFREY BARNES, Missourian staff

February 29, 2000 Several "flash fires" at fuel pumps in Columbia have prompted warnings from the Columbia Fire Department and Missouri Department of Agriculture.

The city has had more flash fires reported than anywhere else in the state, said Lindel Bolten, chief investigator of the Agriculture Department.

The six fires, reported at several gas stations in Columbia, were all minor, but the potential for injury and loss of property are cause for concern, Lt. Steven Sapp said.

No one has been injured in Columbia, but minor injuries have been reported across the state, Sapp said.

"The cause of flash fires appear to have one common origin - static electricity," he said.

Fire officials have recognized a common scenario for the fires that have taken place over the last several months:

Motorists begin fueling their vehicles and get back into their vehicles while the pumping process continues.

After the fueling is complete, motorists return to the fuel pump and touch the metal fuel pump handle. The contact creates an electric spark, which ignites the fuel vapors, Sapp said.

Sapp said that once you start the fueling process, you shouldnt get back into your car until you have finished pumping the fuel and have placed the nozzle back in the pump.

Standing on the concrete will reduce the chances of generating static electricity, Sapp said. In addition, motorists should be ready to manually turn off the fuel pump in the event that the automatic shutoff feature doesnt function properly or another problem exists, he added.

"What we think would solve the problem is to discharge the static by touching a part of the metal vehicle prior to dispensing the gasoline," said Ron Hooker, an administrator at the Agriculture Department.

The Agriculture Department has reported flash fires in Columbia, Troy, Ozark and St. Louis.

"We think that the static is coming from the nylon carpeting or upholstered seats in the vehicle," Sapp said.

Hooker advises motorists who might know of any flash fires in the area to call (573) 751-4278.

"This is potentially a very serious problem and we need to know more information," he said.

http://digmo.org/news/local/premium/0229local154.html

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-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 29, 2000

Answers

Motorists begin fueling their vehicles and get back into their vehicles while the pumping process continues.

Geez! Is there NO LIMIT to the stupidity of the public. ANYONE who is not in complete control of the fueling process of their vehicle deserves EXACTLY what they get.

MOO

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), February 29, 2000.