The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-11-16

Washington.-A big tank truck
transporting gasoline was blown up
by terrific explosion on the steet re-
Gently because passer-by who didn't
know what he was doing picked up a
piece of chain. He saw the chain
dangling by one end from the truck
and thought he would possibly save
the truck from being wrecked
through fouling the chain in one of
the wheels.
The man didn't know the chain was
hanging there for a purpose. He
didn't know that gasoline, unlike wa
ter, is a non-conductor of electricity.
Possibly he didn't even know that
flowing gasoline. especially when
strained through such materials as
chamois skin filters, sets up consider
able charges of frictional or static
electricity. But that was that caused
the trucks destruction.
Usually when the big tank truck
backs up to the filing plug at a SER
vice station or other storage place
the metallic nozzle from the truck
touches the metallic intake pipe and
thus forms a ground for any charge
of static electricity that may collect
in the truck Sometimes, however,
the nozzle does not touch grounding
point and with no other metallic
ground from the truck the car is per-
fectly insulated, standing as it does
on rubber tires. Sometimes, also, the
nozzle of the truck outlet pipe rests
against wooden piece in the intake
pipe and is thereby likewise insulated
for dry wood is also an insulator.
While the gasoline is poured into
the storage tank certain amount of
vapor arises and there is certain to be
some about the intake and the truck.
The flow of the liquid will set up
static charge in the truck. AS the
charge increases it may become strong
enough to leap the gap to the near
est ground or the two points may be
brought into contact. There is a
spark, a fash, an explosion and un-
told damage may result.
Consequently the careful tank driv-
er always has a metallic part hang
ing from the truck to the ground, a
rod or chain, to drain off the electric
charge as it collects, as long as the
gasoline is being drawn off.
The same basic fact has been the
cause of numerous smaller fires and
explosions in garages, both private
and public. In one instance a car
was being filed with gasoline from
can. While the employee ran the gas
into the can he strained it through
chamois filter in funnel. To make
the funnel sit up straight in the
hole in the tank wooden ring was
placed in the hole and the funnel was
placed in that Thus the can was in
sulated. After pouring some gaso-
line into the tank the man brought
the can spout into contract with the
tank. There was spark. flash and
the resulting explosion.
A man was pumping gasoline into
a con in his own garage. He hung
the pail on the hook over the spout
of the pump. He did not notice
that the pail had wooden handle.
By reason of the wooden handle the
pail was insulated from the pump.
The flowing gasoline set up a static
charge in the pail, which leaped the
gap to the pump and another fire
was started.
Friction of silk cloth will produce
static electricity, and fires have been
caused, it mas been reported to gov
ernment agencies when silk cloths
soaked with benzine or gasoline were
used to rub the CRIME OFF mechanics
hands. Sparks are prolific sourse
of gasoline fires especially sparks
from open flames, broken electric
lights and from friction. Even the
clash on concrete pavement of the
nails in shoes have been known to
form sparks which resulted in fires
when gasoline vapor was present.
If gasoline is stored in an open
place, such as a pail, the United
States bureau of mines reports, the
room in which the pail is left will