[at-l] FIRE SAFETY

[bcalkins@disaster-relief.net (Bruce Calkins)]

Naphtha, gasoline and to a somewhat lesser extent, alcohol will evaporate in
a closed space and reach a explosive mixture.  I have no fear of using C-4
as a cooking fuel, or if the occasion arises for blasting purposes.   I have
a lot of respect of the ability of  volatile liquid fuels to flash with out
warning.  There is no room for a lackadaisical or casual attitude in their
use and storage.

Booze and commercially available alcohol formulas have water in the mixture.
Set in a open container and allowed to evaporate you CAN reach explosive
mixtures.  Otherwise it would not work as a motor fuel.  Yes, The conditions
for explosion are not as easily reached, but they can be,  and this fact
should be kept in the back of ones mind.

All containers must be sealed and kept away from ignition sources.

The "North American Emergency Response Guidebook" responses  for gasoline
and alcohol vary mostly in degree.  (Guide #'s 127, 128 and 131 for
starters.)

Black Wolfe

# Not to be rude but that is just wrong:
# Ethanol, the main component of denatured alcohol is just not as
# dangerous as gasoline/naphtha which is Coleman Fuel. Looking at the MSDS'
# and the heat of combustion you will find:
#
#                                          Ethanol                Coleman
# Fuel
# Flash Point                          54 deg F               about -40 F
# Lower Explosive Limit            4%                        less than 1%
# Heat of Combustion            1400 KJ/Mol          6000 KJ/Mol



>
> > ONE HALF CUP of gasoline has more explosive power
> > than??? I don't have the references, I seem to
> > recall more than a case of dynamite!  Do we
> > really want to sleep in the same room/house as that
> > kind of explosive power.
>
> Well, that's true, but don't go quoting facts to terrify
> people.  If I take half a cup of gasoline and pour it in a
> can and toss a match in it, it goes 'WOOF!', and burns
> pretty good.  Not quite a case of dynamite...  Now, if you
> vaporize then compress the gasoline vapor, and apply a
> spark, then yes, you do get an explosion.  C-4, a military
> explosive, is another thing that is greatly feared - but it
> is so stable that you can burn it.  It only detonates with a
> blasting cap of the right size.
>
> You should respect such things, but don't give way to
> bizarre fears that the stuff will spontaneously combust for
> no good reason with the force of a case of dynamite.  (That
> said, keep the stuff away from gas appliances with pilot
> lights...)
>
> Shane
>
>