re: Florida mother of 5 killed pouring gas on backyard fire pit.

quote:

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must’ve traveled the gas stream up to the gas can, and it exploded in her hands."

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I've fricked with gas and blowing stuff up in my youth and used to think exploding gas cans were a Hollywood myth. But because of a similar story I did some research and it actually can happen. As most of us know when you light the end of a gas can nozzle just sitting on the ground it will just shoot a bit of flame than can be eventually be extinguished by putting your hand or rag over the nozzle. But that's all because its not inverted and the quickly expanding gases can leave via the nozzle end.

The potential for explosion happens when you are actively pouring the can and a "glug" of air re-enters the can to replace the space voided by gasoline being poured. In that moment the "glug" is happening, flame enters the gas can. Because the the can is in an inverted pouring position the fire-ball inside has no way to quickly escape since the gasoline liquid is blocking the spout. Hence the explosion and terrible situation.