Student's Cell Phone Starts Gas Station Fire

[matcom]

<snip>

NEW PALTZ -- The ExxonMobil Corporation and town officials are investigating a freak fire at a New Paltz gas station Thursday that is believed to have been ignited by a college student's cell phone.
The unusual incident has generated considerable media attention, in part because some studies having suggested it's unlikely a cell phone's operation could spark such a fire.

Matthew Erhorn, 21, received minor burns after answering his flip-style phone Thursday night.

New Paltz fire officials said the hand-held device sparked a ''flash'' fire from gas vapors as Erhorn was filling up the tank of his 1994 Isuzu Rodeo.

''Any type of cell phone emits a small spark,'' New Paltz Fire Chief Pat Koch told reporters at the Route 299 station, where broadcast news crews assembled Friday morning. ''Cell phones and gas pumps really don't mix.''

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/saturday/frontpage/stories/fr051504s1.shtml

[GOPisEvil]

1. "Mythbusters" debunked that.

It's more likely that static electricity sparked the fire. Ask Mr. Erhorn if he got into his car while he was filling up. If he didn't discharge the static electricity, he could have set off a spark.

[pagerbear]

4. Doncha just love Mythbusters?

Especially Jamie.

[FarmerOak]

2. New Paltz? NEW PALTZ???

That's where that kid mayor was issuing marriage licenses to the homos!

It's the WRATH OF GOD!

Also, they have some white plastic chairs at that gas station that look mighty suspicious...

[xultar]

3. Mythbusters did this and it is more than likely from the person getting

in the car and out of the car during the gas fill up process that causes the spark.

Like a woman who gets out to start filling the car, then gets back in the car and then gets out again. Supposedly they generate a spark when they get in and out of the car.

I heard that in Carrollton GA a cell phone sparked a huge gas explosion that killed 2 people. A Gas contrator was crawling under the house and answered his cell phone and made a spark and blew up the house