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Can Cell Phones cause fires at gas pumps?

Recently I received an email stating that the Shell Oil Company issued a warning that they had confirmed incidents of cell phones causing fires at gas pumps. I wondered about this so I started to do a little research to see whether it was true.

At the end of that email was reference for additional information go to the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) web page http://www.pei.org/. So that was the first place I went. Interesting when I followed the directions, which said to go to STOP STATIC, although it’s actually Safe Fueling, I found this statement at the top of the page. “Not Cell Phones – PEI has investigated hundreds of refueling fires and flare-ups. We have not documented one single incident that was caused by a cellular telephone.”

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a danger. The PEI farther states; “The Petroleum Equipment Institute began investigating mysterious refueling fires in the mid-Nineties. We learned that static electricity– the same thing that shocks you after dragging your feet across the carpet– can ignite gasoline vapors at the pump.”

The next place I went to do additional research on this email was google. I googled “Shell Oil Company cell phone fires”. The first result to that inquiry was to Snopes.com, a web site that researches Urban Legends. On www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/gasvapor.asp it is reported that this urban legend is false. No one can find any records that Shell Oil issued any warning and no proof has ever been shown that cellphone can cause gas pump fires.

However, since Static has been verified as a possible cause to fuel fires at gas pumps, the PEI has issued these guidelines on fueling your vehicle:

• Turn off your vehicle engine. Put your vehicle in park and/or set the emergency brake. Disable or turn off any auxiliary sources of ignition such as a camper or trailer heater, cooking units, or pilot lights.
• Do not smoke, light matches or lighters while refueling at the pump or when using gasoline anywhere else.
• Use only the refueling latch provided on the gasoline dispenser nozzle. Never jam the refueling latch on the nozzle open.
• Do not re-enter your vehicle during refueling. If you cannot avoid re-entering your vehicle, discharge any static build-up BEFORE reaching for the nozzle by touching something metal with a bare hand — such as the vehicle door — away from the nozzle.)
• In the unlikely event a static-caused fire occurs when refueling, leave
the nozzle in the fill pipe and back away from the vehicle. Notify the station attendant immediately.

Do I use the cellphone when I’m refueling? I think that there are too many issues with detractions at gas pumps that have happened over the years, everyone has heard a story of someone driving away with the fueling nozzle still in the car. So I think this is one of those places where cell phone conversations can wait.

© 2006 Steven G. Atkinson – All rights reserved – tt4sb.com

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