Fowler Associates Labs

Woman Narrowly Escapes Auto Refueling Fire In Charlotte, NC

March 23, 2002

Linda Beaver thought March 23rd would be like any other day. Get gasoline, go to work, etc. etc. Uneventful. Was she ever wrong!

While Ms. Beaver was refueling her 2001 Nissan PathFinder she decided to get back in the car and put her credit card away. As she went back to the gas nozzle to finish refueling, she heard a loud "pop", saw a blue arc, heard a "whoosh", and saw a big blue flame jump off the area near her hand and nozzle.

She was lucky. She jumped back in fright. She could not believe her eyes. Her car was on fire. What to do....what to do?????

There was a man refueling his car at the same island. He heard her screams and looked to see the problem. He told her to go inside and tell the attendant to turn the pumps off.

The gas station attendant turned off the pumps and the fire went out by itself. No fire extinguisher was needed.

Her car was not severely damaged.

Why?

She did not do the main dangerous action many people in this situation do - Pull the nozzle out. Her "jump back panic action" and the man at the refueling island saved her life. Maybe she was lucky or maybe he was a guardian angel..............

Related Articles:
Unsafe Act
Static Smart at the Pump
Refueling Fire Series