Accident leads officials to offer advice on handling gasoline

The vacuum was found about 20 feet from the garage where it had been used.
BOARDMAN -- The township bureau of fire prevention and education has some words of caution for residents after an Oakridge Drive resident was injured while using a wet/dry vacuum to clean up gasoline.
The homeowner, Robert Carney, 75, was treated at St. Elizabeth's Emergency Room, Boardman, over the weekend after suffering first-degree burns on his left ear and hand and singed hair on one side of his face.
Firefighters responded to a garage fire at the Oakridge home Saturday. A car inside the garage was on fire, and smoke and flames were emanating from the structure.
Carney had returned from running errands, including filling a 2-gallon container of gasoline. He had transported the container in the trunk of his car and the container had tipped during the trip, spilling gas on the trunk's carpeting.
Explosion and fire
After removing the container, the homeowner started to vacuum the gasoline with a wet/dry vacuum and shortly found himself lying in his driveway about 8 feet from where he had been standing.
Firefighters found the wet/dry vacuum about 20 feet from the garage in the front yard. The side of the canister had a 28-inch hole in its side, and the motor and vacuum hose had melted into a gob of plastic, firefighters said.
"I have never heard of anything like this happening before," said Lt. Jim McCreary of the fire prevention bureau. "It was either the static electricity from the plastic attachment moving across the carpet or a spark from within the electric motor which ignited the gas fumes, causing the explosion and fire."
The fire caused an estimated $70,000 in smoke and fire damage to the garage and house.
Safety advice
Tips for filling and transporting portable gasoline containers:
UWhen dispensing gas into a container, use only an approved portable container and place it on the ground to avoid a possible static electricity ignition of fuel vapors. Containers should never be filled while inside a vehicle or its trunk, the bed of a pickup truck or the floor of a trailer.
UWhen filling a portable container, manually control the nozzle valve throughout the filling process. Fill a portable container slowly to decrease the chance of static electricity buildup and minimize spilling or splattering. Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the container opening while refueling.
UFill container no more than 95 percent full to allow for expansion.
UPlace cap tightly on the container after filling and don't use containers that don't seal properly.
UPlace gasoline only in approved containers. Never store gasoline in glass or any other unapproved container.
UWhen transporting gasoline in a portable container, make sure it is secured against tipping and sliding, and never leave it in direct sunlight or the trunk of a car.
UUse gasoline as a motor fuel only. It shouldn't be used to wash hands or as a cleaning solvent.
UIf gasoline spills on a trunk carpet, use an old rag or paper towel to soak up the liquid and remove the carpet. Clean the trunk with hot water and dishwashing soap and contact a professional cleaning company for advice on how to safely clean the mat.
For more information on gasoline handling and transportation or any other fire prevention subject, contact the fire prevention bureau at (330) 729-9535.