They are as ubiquitous in American garages and gas stations as automobiles. Unfortunately, they may also be, in at least one respect, just as susceptible to unfortunate accidents. Scientists say that the common plastic gas can sold throughout the United States carries the potential for fiery explosion \u2014 and most Americans are probably unaware that the portable vessels could even pose such a hazard.<\/p>\n
In tests conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), scientists found that, under certain circumstances, gas vapor blends can ignite within portable cans and cause significant injury to those in the vicinity of the explosion. <\/p>\n
CPSC has documented 11 deaths and 1,200 emergency room visits linked to gas can explosions during the pouring of gasoline since 1998. <\/p>\n
Additional tests conducted at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute\u2019s combustion laboratory demonstrated that, under limited conditions, a so-called \u201cflashback\u201d explosion can occur inside plastic gas cans.<\/p>\n