The Ford Barn - View Single Post - Vacuum Cleaner Fuel Tank Explosion

H. L. Chauvin · 05-27-2016, 12:41 AM

Short version of a detailed very sad story:

Went to visit this, (little younger than me), military Vietnam Veteran friend and very wealthy property owner who had one side of his face and nose burned to a medium dark brown and covered with some type of medical hospital cream ..... did not ask about burns on the rest of his body; and when asked, poor soul said he was not in as much pain as right after it happened last Sunday.

He had instructed a friend to add diesel and gas fuel to his many lawn implement fuel tanks used in conjunction with his (12) or so acre richly landscaped family park type property with two bass ponds; however, this friend mistakably added diesel fuel to the tank of a gas engine; so when the owner went to cut grass, in checking fuel level, he noticed his gas lawn mower was filled with diesel.

After calling, a young customer petroleum plant worker friend, this young friend advised him to use a vacuum cleaner to extract the diesel ..... however, his older business employee "emphatically" cautioned not to do it.

Anyway, unknown to the young petroleum plant adviser, the vacuum cleaner was an old "sparking" vintage model vacuum cleaner ...... in lieu of the modern "sparkless" type vacuum cleaner.

He said everything started out well and was working fine while removing fuel until all of a sudden ...... BIG BANG !!!!!!

The Shop Vac violently exploded throwing "flaming" diesel mixed with gasoline everywhere under a wood structured Lean-To enclosure; and, the Lean-To was attached to his full service guest house.

In a matter of minutes he said he lost six (6) expensive riding lawn mowers, a (4) wheeler, a fairly new $70,000.00 diesel tractor, a Lean-To shed, and a fully equipped guest house that all burned to the ground ............... plus .... his vintage vacuum cleaner.

He said he felt like it was a miracle that he survived and that it was a miracle that nobody was in his guest house which is usually occupied.

Not a Model A experience ....... and this did not make CNN, NBC, or Fox News ....... but sometimes, we may need reminders that internal combustion engine and fuel safety can never be overly stressed to try to protect lives of our love ones and our property.

05-27-2016, 12:41 AM	#17
H. L. Chauvin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,179	Re: Vacuum Cleaner Fuel Tank Explosion - Not Model A Short version of a detailed very sad story: Went to visit this, (little younger than me), military Vietnam Veteran friend and very wealthy property owner who had one side of his face and nose burned to a medium dark brown and covered with some type of medical hospital cream ..... did not ask about burns on the rest of his body; and when asked, poor soul said he was not in as much pain as right after it happened last Sunday. He had instructed a friend to add diesel and gas fuel to his many lawn implement fuel tanks used in conjunction with his (12) or so acre richly landscaped family park type property with two bass ponds; however, this friend mistakably added diesel fuel to the tank of a gas engine; so when the owner went to cut grass, in checking fuel level, he noticed his gas lawn mower was filled with diesel. After calling, a young customer petroleum plant worker friend, this young friend advised him to use a vacuum cleaner to extract the diesel ..... however, his older business employee "emphatically" cautioned not to do it. Anyway, unknown to the young petroleum plant adviser, the vacuum cleaner was an old "sparking" vintage model vacuum cleaner ...... in lieu of the modern "sparkless" type vacuum cleaner. He said everything started out well and was working fine while removing fuel until all of a sudden ...... BIG BANG !!!!!! The Shop Vac violently exploded throwing "flaming" diesel mixed with gasoline everywhere under a wood structured Lean-To enclosure; and, the Lean-To was attached to his full service guest house. In a matter of minutes he said he lost six (6) expensive riding lawn mowers, a (4) wheeler, a fairly new $70,000.00 diesel tractor, a Lean-To shed, and a fully equipped guest house that all burned to the ground ............... plus .... his vintage vacuum cleaner. He said he felt like it was a miracle that he survived and that it was a miracle that nobody was in his guest house which is usually occupied. Not a Model A experience ....... and this did not make CNN, NBC, or Fox News ....... but sometimes, we may need reminders that internal combustion engine and fuel safety can never be overly stressed to try to protect lives of our love ones and our property.