Citing a pretty rare case that Ford has already corrected is a pretty weak point for your argument. Anyone who's truck is still shooting flames out the tailpipe is probably no longer running. Also I've never seen pigs fly, but I'll assume it's a pretty safe bet it will never happen.

What does this have to do with fueling a diesel engine while running? I don't have any facts to back this up but I doubt there have been any cases where a vehicle fire has been reported by someone spilling gas onto a surface hot enough to ignite while in the process of filling up the fuel tank.

What was the purpose of making this statement? I've fueled my lawnmower countless times in a garage next to one or more vehicles. I've still go the lawn mower and my facial hair.

What are we to be careful of? Other people starting fires? Car jackers? I'm confused.


Just curious, how long have you been in the fire service? Do you work for a full time dept. or a vollie?

 

Full time Firefighter 21 years and yes I have seen it happen so just keep your head in the sand and hope it never happens to you.

Bottom line is believe what you want but it CAN happen and I would hope to think most of us are smart enough to know that and will help to keep EVERY ONE safer.

 

Yes I would LOVE to see that fire report, as well as the pictures you claimed to have earlier.

Getting back on topic here.... in your 21 years of service how many vehicle fires have you seen at fueling stations that were caused by a diesel engine running?

After looking at PEI's report, it would appear that out of the 170 reported vehicle fires related to static there were less than 3 vehicles that "could" have been diesel. The report did not state what fuel the vehicles used.

Considering the reported 170 static related fires in 14 years (average of 12 per year) and the number of times Americans refuel their vehicles each year (approximately 11-12 billion times), the odds of this happening are about 1 in 917,000,000. I have a better chance of being killed by a venomous lizard.

 

I am done with this one
Its getting ugly with no new info

 

venomous lizard...nice Riggz! and as to what Riggz posted earlier - I don't get it either - guess all of us Diesel owners just don't have a clue!!

 

While I don't doubt Matt's story about the fire being caused by GAS being spilled on a hot enough surface, it can and does happen, I'm willing to bet it wasn't a diesel that the gas was spilled on and he already admitted to it being GAS. Chances are good that this vehicle fire was not at a gas station and that the gas was not spilled on the body of the car, it was probably a vehicle being worked on and the gas was spilled on a manifold, etc.

Anecdotal story. Years ago I was on the highway towing one of my mowing trailers when I started smelling gas. Pulled over to find the fuel line had worn through by rubbing on the power steering pulley. Had a couple miles to go, so I kept on going, fuel spraying the entire engine compartment of this truck, during the summer and it never ignited. Wish it would have, it was an old Dodge that we got rid of shortly after that.

 

I'm not doubting he has seen any of the situations he's claiming. Only the information he gives is vague, making it seem unrelated to the topic. I am also in the fire service (though not nearly as long) and respect anyone with more time on the job, but I just don't see where he is trying to go with his posts except to shake his finger at everyone.

I also had a similar situation where i was driving an old 87 Chevy Celebrity. After 1-2 hours of driving i started smelling gasoline. I pulled over, popped the hood and the entire hoodliner was soaked with gas. Never caught fire. And no matt, I'm not saying it could 'never' happen. Just that it's not as easy to happen as you make it seem.

 

Me too, although I only have 18 years as a vollie\paid on call type. And I agree with the rest of your statement as well.

 

Update:

I just contacted the person who wrote the report on static vehicle fires for PEI. He stated there were 0 fires caused by static in diesel vehicles. So that kills that one. All we have left now is to find info on vehicle fires caused by engines left running and find out how many of those were diesel.

 

I bet I can answer it without going through all the paperwork.

 

I can tell you as a firefighter for 21 years I have seen alot of car/truck fires that where caused by gasoline leaking on a hot engine and started a fire. If you are a firefighter with any kind of training/experiance you will know that it does happen and happens more than you think. I can understand why you as a firefighter whould be saying the things you say. Gasoine is a highly flammable liquid and is very easy to ignite .Just because you were lucky enough that your Celeb didn't catch fire is no reason to say it can't happen because it does and alot of people can say your wrong. I bet you use gasoline to clean your car parts too.
Go back to your station and ask some of your brother firefighters if they have seen car fires because of gasoline leak and see what they tell you. Better yet let me send you some training tapes of car fires and how to fight them. It just blows my mind that a fire fighter would be saying the things your saying. Are you really in the fire service or just a vollie on weekends ?

BTW I am also done with this . If you want to personally talk about it PM me but please quit telling people that gasoline is safe as your saying it is.

 

Originally Posted by riggz
Update:

All we have left now is to find info on vehicle fires caused by engines left running and find out how many of those were diesel.


I never said that the fires where diesel only that there is usally gasoline around diesel pumps and be aware of whats around you when you leave your diesel running.

 

I never said it couldn't happen. I have seen many car fires. your posts make it seem as if gas will ignite once it touches any hot surface and people will die. no i do not use gas to clean anything. I dont need any training tapes on how to fight car fires, but thanks for offering brother. I am a paid FF for a combination dept. however, all of this is irrelevant. The original post is asking about DIESEL, not GASOLINE. So I'll ask you again. How many fires have you fought that were ignited by a diesel engine at a fueling station?

I never said gasoline was safe. Please quit telling people that it's such a volatile and unstable chemical that will causes fires at gas pumps on a daily basis.

Also, where are these pictures and fire report you claimed to have earlier or were they just part of your hype and off topic rants?

 

I don't think any of us are saying that it is a good idea to fill up a GASOLINE powered vehicle with it running. I also think that most of us will agree that static fires can happen when filling a vehicle with GASOLINE, although they are few and far between. It is always a good idea to touch a metal part of your car after you get out if you are fueling up. I think most of us will also agree that GASOLINE can ignite if poured on a hot enough surface, but with a vehicle about the only place that would be hot enough is under the hood, and I don't think to many people are going to raise their hood and start spraying gasoline on the engine.

However, what I think most of us are trying to say is in order for the GASOLINE to ignite, the vapor has to be very concentrated. I would guess that the only are where the vapor is concentrated enough to be lit by a static spark is within a foot or so of the actual nozzle. Leaving our trucks running while someone is filling up with gasoline at the NEXT PUMP is not going to cause an issue. Leaving a gas powered vehicle running while the person NEXT TO YOU is filling up is not going to cause an issue. If it could people would be forced to push thier vehicle into the pump, and away from the pump before starting it again. Or they would have to come up with a system where you had to wait turns and both people would have to pull in and shut their vehicle down, pump their fuel at the same time, and restart their vehicles at the same time to leave. We don't have to do this, because it is not an issue.

DIESEL FUEL is not going to start a fire from a spark, and is highly unlikely to start a fire by being sprayed on any surface in our trucks.

 

Ummmmmm because it is ................And it does .............

Why on earth would anybody want to choose to take that chance is beyond me.
There is a reason why they put those warnings on every pump because it CAN happen .But hey your car never caught fire so it must not happen.