No motorist in the world has filled up his tank with fuel in a gas station and did not see the big "No Smoking" warning sign. The reason is almost beyond explanation, as it drives every single ICE on this planet: combustion. However, occasionally someone tries their luck anyway, but it doesn't always end well.
Gasoline is highly flammable – hence the combustion part of the "Internal Combustion Engine" phrase. However, gasoline is impervious to its surroundings when catching fire and can easily burst into flames if not handled with caution.
So, it's common sense not to fill up a car's fuel tank while handling a lit cigarette, despite science arguing against gas igniting from such a tiny heat source. However, testing the science limits is not something to be tried at the gas station, so please do not do it.
Otherwise, you might end up like the man in this article's video. The location and date are not disclosed, but it makes no difference. A lit cigarette in a gas station, right next to the pump, while combustible liquid flows inside the vehicle's fuel tank, could get someone very nervous, regardless of where it happens.
At least, it did get one gas station employee anxious enough to take matters into his own hands. Not at all happy with the customer's attitude towards fire prevention, the man casually walks to the fire extinguisher – located right next to the pump – and proceeds to execute the safety plan.
Photo: Minesto u/kalalalalkekeke / Reddit.com
If you have any training in using a portable fire extinguisher, then you know that a specific set of actions needs to be performed in a precise order when using the device. The gas station man knows it, but let's break it down to basics (the security camera footage is very handy).
Number one: locate the source of (potential) fire. Check – in the shape of a smoking customer.
Number two: get to the fire extinguisher. Check – found where the fire department requires it to be.
Number two-point-one: Remember the PASS technique (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep).
Number three: grab the grip of the extinguisher and Pull out the safety pin. All is good so far (I would say the gas station worker has had a few training sessions, as he does not hesitate at all).
Photo: Minesto u/kalalalalkekeke / Reddit.com
Number four: Aim the nozzle of the hose towards the base of the fire. Check. This is where it gets professional: the man has sniper-level accuracy as he points the blast towards the culprit's feet.
Number five: firmly Squeeze the grip handle and use the last S in the PASS.
Which is Sweep – with a left-to-right motion, keep spraying fire retardant at the burning spot until the fire is out permanently. Check(mate). The self-acclaimed firefighter takes no chances and blasts the cigarette (together with the smoker's face).
I stress permanently, as fires may be temporarily smothered when depriving the blaze of oxygen but may reignite if not correctly handled. Simply put – overkill the fire with your extinguisher, just to make sure. And then spray it a few more times – you can never be too cautious.
I did mention earlier that a lit cigarette next to a fuel pump has little to no chance of starting a fire, as gasoline ignites from a naked flame. The fire hazard at a gas station is not the lit cigarette but the act of lighting one, as the flame of the lighter will cause the flammable vapors to burn. Again, do not try this at your local gas station. Or anywhere else, for that matter.
Photo: Minesto u/kalalalalkekeke / Reddit.com
Take another look at the video and then decide if smoking while filling up is worth the wrath of a prospectively prudent worker. I guess the tobacco industry doesn't think about this instance when they print the "Smoking is bad for your health" warning on the packs. Anyway, the viral video - it gathered millions of views in the five years since it emerged - should be a practical lesson in regards to obeying basic safety rules in hazardous places.
After nearly two decades in news television, Răzvan turned to a different medium. He’s been a field journalist, a TV producer, and a seafarer but found that he feels right at home among petrolheads. Full profile
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