Fire Hazards in Gas Stations

One wrong move at a service station could cause the fuel pumps to erupt into an inferno. Static electricity is one of the most deadly fire hazards in gas stations because simple activities---including using a cell phone---can produce a small spark that sets off a blaze. Safety officials also warn consumers to use caution when filling portable gasoline containers and while operating the hold-open clips that are attached to the gas pump nozzles.

Static

• A motorist risks serious burns by generating static electricity while a gas pump is in operation, according to the Times News. A common mistake among consumers is to wait inside the vehicle during the refueling process. That movement of entering and exiting a car---along with touching the pump nozzle where vapors have accumulated---is enough to create a gas pump explosion. Times News recommends touching another metal section of the car, such as the top of your vehicle, once you exit the car and before you place your hand on the nozzle. This discharges the static. A cell phone is unsafe if it triggers static electricity during the refueling, the CBS News website reports. Gas station owners sometimes post warnings about cell phones on their pumps.

Containers

• Danger lurks inside portable gasoline containers that consumers typically use for extra fuel for their lawnmowers, snow blowers and other gasoline-powered equipment. Use cans that are intended for storing and transporting fuel. Before filling your canister, always place the container on the ground and never inside the bed of a truck in case that bed is not properly grounded, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection. Maintain a safe distance between the can and your vehicle as a precaution against any mishap. To rid yourself of dangerous static electricity, touch the pump nozzle to the can before you open the container lid. Leave about 5 percent of the container empty to accommodate any expansion, the National Fire Protection Association advises.

Nozzles

• Drivers place themselves in jeopardy when they use the special hold-open tabs that allow motorists to wander away from gas pumps during fueling. Customers report spraying gasoline when using these levers, according to KHSL-TV. The news station reports that California fire marshals outlawed specific brands of levers after people complained that the devices stuck, causing fuel to spurt out of the nozzle. Motorists typically prefer to use the hold-open tabs so they are free to do other tasks while fueling their cars, such as washing their windshields, checking pressure in their tires or purchasing coffee and snacks inside the gas station. Fire officials warn drivers against using their gas caps or water bottles to prop open the nozzles, the KRCR-TV website reported.