Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Phone Ignites Gas Station Fire

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 21:50:59 -0400

Phone Ignites Gas Station Fire
NEW PALTZ, N.Y., May 14, 2004

Flames shot up around a 21-year-old college student whose cell phone
rang while he was pumping gas.

Firefighters said Matthew Erhorn, a SUNY New Paltz student, received
minor burns at a Mobil station near the New York State Thurway
(Interstate 87) Thursday night.

"I'm very surprised," Erhorn said.

He shouldn't have been. There's a sign at the pumps at the New Paltz gas
station warning that cell phones should be turned off for safety while
pumping gas.

Firefighters believe the cell phone ignited vapors coming from the car's
fuel tank as it was being filled.

It doesn't take much of a charge to ignite gasoline vapors, New Paltz
fire chief Patrick Koch told WCBS-AM's Peter Haskell.
"Anything, really. Women's nylon stockings when they get out of a
vehicle, that can cause a spark, too."

That's why motorists are told "don't use their cell phones when they're
pumping gas. Really, it's deadly," Koch said.
The fire was immediately put out by the service station's fire
suppression system, using an oxygen-killing powder. That covered other
cars in the gas station parking lot as well as nearby trees.

The station will remain closed until the system can be recharged.
New Paltz is about  75 miles north of New York City.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/14/tech/main617547.shtml

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

-- 
    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address 
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEXTEL-1/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     [email-masked]

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
     http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/