Here’s another very good reason as to why you should never, ever leave your car running whilst refuelling at a petrol station – a two minute-long video shot at what looks to be a petrol station (believed to have been located in Penang) has gone viral after it showed part of a Citroen catching fire at the pumps.
While details as to how the incident unfolded remain scarce, the accompanying caption states a warning on how easily petrol vapour can ignite – a single spark or a hint of static electricity is more than enough to cause an inferno, apparently. To the driver’s defence, the video showed no use of any mobile phones whatsoever.
We reckon it’s probably a stroke of bad luck mixed in with the aforementioned bits of static electricity discharged from an unknown source – still, one should never gamble in such a situation. Thankfully, the fire was put out before things got out of hand. Also, from the looks of it, no one was injured as the minute the flame sparked into life, the occupants of the Citroen rushed out and away from it.
Once again, ladies and gents, we’ll take this opportunity to remind you on the importance of not using your mobile phones and killing the engine whenever you refuel at a petrol station. Also, it should go without saying that cigarettes are a definite no-no.
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WTF WOULD YOU USE WATER TO PUT OUT A FIRE THAT IS CAUSED BY FUEL?!
I see many jack ass like these whenver i am at the pumps.A combination of tidak apa,lazy & idiotic attitude.If you don’t value your life,pls spare a thought for others nearby.
Please DO NOT pour water on petrol fires. It’ll just make the fire spread even more.
No amount of videos like this is going to change the tidak apa attitude of malaysians towards safety. Every second there will always be another yahoo doing the same in every corner of this country. Just look at the mat rempit menace. Despite thousands killed,I don’t see the enthusiasm dying out.
I’m guessing the heat from the exhaust emission could have ignited the gas fume coming out from the fuel entrance from the vehicle. This ignorant oldman is lucky that he didn’t cause an explosion!
Guess what happens if we tell them to turn of their engine while refuelling?
Why would that dude try to extinguish that fire with water? Didn’t he learn in school that oil/petrol based fire should only be extinguished using sand/powder based extinguishers?
It is not possible to conclude that the incident was caused by a running engine.
If there is an ignition source due to a running engine, it would be at the front of the car. There is no ignition source in the rear and you don’t see ignition at front and flame travelling to the rear.
There was an ignition source and the closure of the rear passenger door somehow assisted it.
Not the engine. Something else. likely wiring related. Lights could be on with engine off.
Its caused by static discharge, while refueling, never move any other metal parts of the car that can cause static to discharge or charge up. As you can see, it happens right at the moment when the kid closes the door of the car which caused the static to charge up and sparked the fire.
It is correct that a running engine is not the cause of the fire.
Its caused by static discharge, while refueling, never move any other metal parts of the car that can cause static to discharge or charge up. As you can see, it happens right at the moment when the kid closes the door of the car which caused the static to charge up and sparked the fire.
It is correct that a running engine is not the cause of the fire.
You fail to see the fact that ONE citroen engine is in the fuel tank… and TWO there is an 8 inch guy smoking inside the fuel tank at that time…
probably due to ESD.
But maybe it might not happen if he turn off the engine. Car’s aircond is making the air inside cabin dryer. When the kid close the door, a huge amount of dry air flowing towards the other door, which is quite close to the fueling gun. A gust of dry air flow through and u got some static charge.
The spark is probably due to the combination of dry air + fine haze particles + driver door is open + kid closing the door at high speed + a bit of bad luck and ignorant
Getting in and out of a vehicle while refuelling is a big NO NO….always discharge static by touching the metal body of the vehicle.
Its caused by static discharge, while refueling, never move any other metal parts of the car that can cause static to discharge or charge up. As you can see, it happens right at the moment when the kid closes the door of the car which caused the static to charge up and sparked the fire.
It is correct that a running engine is not the cause of the fire.
It amazes me that the driver just ignore the kid and the women in the car…
From the photo I guess that would be Citroen Xsara Picasso. This model need to use the car key to unlock the fuel cap in order for refueling. This model is known to have this issue as this happened to me and several owners few years back.
Ever since then, I always touch the body of the car and the metal part of the fuel dispenser before removing the fuel handle to start refueling in order to discharge any static charge on the car body and my body.
May be the car is not meant for certain people.
The father really suck. But please understand that not many ppl know water is not the way putting off fuel fire. And i think the black long pants guy do very good job here putting off fire. Welldone…
Don’t blame that guy pouring water on fire. It might work sometimes if the fire was small. I once helped extinguished fire on a luxury car which happened to stop beside my house. No ABC nor Co2 portable around. The two of us managed to stop the fire (front hood) after 4 buckets of water.
Glad that they are safe
When refilling petrol :
1. Always close all the car doors and windows so that no petrol fumes enter the car interior.
2. Make sure no one enters or exit the car as static electricity from the person’s body, hair or clothings can ignite the petrol fumes.
3. No lighters or matches to be kept inside the car.
4. Switch off engine vefore refilling.
5. Leave HPinside the car.