- Author
-
Tyrrell, E. A.
- Title
- Gasoline and Gasoline Container Fire Incidents. Final Report.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
-
NBS TN 850,
January 1975,
34 p.
- Distribution
- Available from Government Printing Office Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
accidents
|
FFACTS
|
gasoline
|
ignition source
- Abstract
- Gasoline was involved in 72 percent of the 645 volatile flammable liquids fire incidents found in the NBS Flammable Fabrics Accident Case and Testing System as of December 1973. These gasoline incidents, particularly those that were container-related, were studied in detail. Male victims out-numbered females approximately 5 to 1. Both males and females, ages 6-20, were injured more frequently than would have been expected if the incidents for each sex had been distributed uniformly over all age groups. Starting or tending an open fire caused ignitions most frequently and involved primarily males ages 13-45. Children were injured most from knocking over or dropping a container of gasoline close to an ignition source and playing with gasoline and an ignition source. Matches were the most frequent ignition source. Containers ranged from large gasoline cans to kitchen measuring cups, although gasoline cans were reported most often. The youngest children were involved most with some of the largest containers. The remaining victims were involved primarily with smaller, more easily managed containers. There was no indication that the gasoline containers, by themselves, contributed substantially to these incidents. The problem was one of human error-- misuse or abuse of the gasoline, the container, or both.