Re: In-the-tank fuel pumps cause death and destruction

POPPY COCK!!!!! what a crock,,,ok lets put the fuel pumps outside the tank, Where should we put the fuel Sending unit???? Ever thought maybe the person working on the car didnt know what they were doing???? I wonder if maybe they were using a drop lite next to the tank to see what they were doing and maybe the pressurized fuel hit the bulb and ignited the fuel? Mcdonalds got sued for having coffee scold someone, coffee has been hot for how many yrs??? should me make coffee cold now

News Story One:

Thursday, October 28, 2004 · Last updated 4:11 a.m. PT

Inhalation of toxins blamed for Des Moines fire death

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DES MOINES, Wash. -- A man who died in a garage fire after gasoline spilled out of a truck that was being repaired died partly from inhaling toxic fumes, investigators said.

David E. Russ, 61, identified Wednesday as the dead man, also had burns on more than 90 percent of his body, investigators in the King County medical examiner's office said.

Russ and two other men was trying to replace the fuel pump on a pickup truck Monday when the leaking fuel caught fire as the trio tried to push the truck out of a detached garage.

All three ran outside, but Russ went back in and was trapped when the roof collapsed, Fire Battalion Chief Victor Pennington said.

News Story Two:

Local auto dealership heavily damaged in fire By Virgil Cochran Lamar Daily News

Thursday, October 28, 2004 -

Tri-County Ford on Highway 50-287 north of Lamar was severely damaged by a midmorning fire yesterday, but the manager Jeff Travis said the business will be up and running again in just a few days.

Travis and Prowers County Rural Fire Chief Marvin Rosencrans said the fire began when mechanics were attempting to drain a fuel tank on a vehicle in the mechanic shop to replace a fuel pump. A fuel transfer pump developed an electrical short, which triggered the blaze.

It rapidly engulfed the shop area of the building, but everyone managed to get out safely, Travis said.

Tri-County will have temporary office trailers set up on the lot by next week, Travis said, and will be open for sales of new and used vehicles. In the meantime, all automobiles for sale will remain on the lot, and customers are welcome to drop by and shop, and even negotiate deals. But the business won't be able to finalize deals until the temporary offices are set up and computer equipment is up and running again next week.

Travis said Tri-County is also negotiating for temporary headquarters for its mechanic shops, but it may be a few more days before the shop functions of the business are up and running.

Eight cars in the service area were destroyed and the service garage itself was heavily damaged if not totally destroyed, but Rosencrans said damage to the office and parts storage area was limited to mostly smoke and water damage.

Local firefighters were called to the scene about 10:40 a.m. yesterday, and the Prowers Rural Fire Department was assisted by the Lamar, Wiley, and Holly Fire Departments.

As for the existing building, Travis said the business was well insured and that he would meet with insurance adjusters sometime today.

News Story One:

Thursday, October 28, 2004 · Last updated 4:11 a.m. PT

Inhalation of toxins blamed for Des Moines fire death

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DES MOINES, Wash. -- A man who died in a garage fire after gasoline spilled out of a truck that was being repaired died partly from inhaling toxic fumes, investigators said.

David E. Russ, 61, identified Wednesday as the dead man, also had burns on more than 90 percent of his body, investigators in the King County medical examiner's office said.

Russ and two other men was trying to replace the fuel pump on a pickup truck Monday when the leaking fuel caught fire as the trio tried to push the truck out of a detached garage.

All three ran outside, but Russ went back in and was trapped when the roof collapsed, Fire Battalion Chief Victor Pennington said.

News Story Two:

Local auto dealership heavily damaged in fire By Virgil Cochran Lamar Daily News

Thursday, October 28, 2004 -

Tri-County Ford on Highway 50-287 north of Lamar was severely damaged by a midmorning fire yesterday, but the manager Jeff Travis said the business will be up and running again in just a few days.

Travis and Prowers County Rural Fire Chief Marvin Rosencrans said the fire began when mechanics were attempting to drain a fuel tank on a vehicle in the mechanic shop to replace a fuel pump. A fuel transfer pump developed an electrical short, which triggered the blaze.

It rapidly engulfed the shop area of the building, but everyone managed to get out safely, Travis said.

Tri-County will have temporary office trailers set up on the lot by next week, Travis said, and will be open for sales of new and used vehicles. In the meantime, all automobiles for sale will remain on the lot, and customers are welcome to drop by and shop, and even negotiate deals. But the business won't be able to finalize deals until the temporary offices are set up and computer equipment is up and running again next week.

Travis said Tri-County is also negotiating for temporary headquarters for its mechanic shops, but it may be a few more days before the shop functions of the business are up and running.

Eight cars in the service area were destroyed and the service garage itself was heavily damaged if not totally destroyed, but Rosencrans said damage to the office and parts storage area was limited to mostly smoke and water damage.

Local firefighters were called to the scene about 10:40 a.m. yesterday, and the Prowers Rural Fire Department was assisted by the Lamar, Wiley, and Holly Fire Departments.

As for the existing building, Travis said the business was well insured and that he would meet with insurance adjusters sometime today.

I want my Jarts back!

Rob

There's one NUT right here in this newsgroup, Why, it's YOU Nomen!!!!

Senator John Edwards, is that you?

Two examples, of how NOT to properly handle volatile fuels, deleted for lack of relevance. LOL

mike hunt

Nomen Nescio wrote:

in-tank-fuel

Perhaps if your degree was in electrical, rather than mechanical, engineering you might. One reason is liquids can not burn. By being inside the tank, there is no possibility of a combustible mixture or fire. If for example the electric fuel pump were outside the tank, in the line, there is a much greater probability of a combustible mixture occurring in the event of a fuel leak. OK?

mike hunt

Al Smith wrote:

And like any competent mechanic you disconnected the battery first, right? ;)

mike hunt

Alex Rodriguez wrote:

Hi...

I'm electrical - but sure not interested in taking sides in this conversation.

I do have one question though that I'd like to ask if I may? When I have a quarter tank of fuel left, what exactly occupies the remaining space?

Ken

Nomen Nescio, I would have sent you a private response, but I don't have that option here. I think that your article is well written, very well presented. I enjoyed reading what you have to say. The only way it might have been improved would be to provide references. How do we go about referencing the torque specifications of fasteners? Also, these will be different depending on the grade of steel used. Do we know for a fact that the torques don't correspond to the material grade? Dale

TeleDale Key Service,

My goodness! You are so full of shit!

Ian

If I see where you're going with this, the inside of the fuel pump (where all the electrical commutation/sparking takes place) is 100% full of liquid fuel under all conditions. Missing only one ingredient for fire or explosion: air/oxygen. Comforting thought, eh?

To answer your question: air (but all the arcing and sparking is inside the pump with only liquid fuel).

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my adddress with the letter 'x')

Fuel vapor No oxygen and under slight pressure which keeps oxygen from getting in, or shall I say not enough to support any type of combustion. No degree needed for that.

Gasoline vapor, but not a combustible mixture. Even when the gauge shows empty, the contacts are still in the fuel.

mike hunt

Ken Weitzel wrote:

Hi...

Or maybe one is :)

See if I follow.... they make a mediocre attempt at creating a closed environment. Then we remove some of the contents (burn some of the gas). And end up sith a slight pressure?

Ken

Much more comforting that having the pump outside the tank where all of the ingredients are available. :-)

Matt