Federal officials on Wednesday warned people panicked by the Colonial Pipeline shutdown to not store gasoline in plastic bags — or to pour it near an open flame.
In a series of tweets, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued stark safety instructions amid widespread reports of fuel hoarding that the White House has tried to discourage.
“Do not fill plastic bags with gasoline,” the CPSC said.
“Use only containers approved for fuel.”
The agency also posted a video to illustrate the dangers of “flame jetting,” which it said “is a sudden and possibly violent flash fire that can occur when pouring flammable liquids from a container over an exposed flame or other ignition source.”
The 30-second clip shows a female mannequin being enveloped in a fireball that erupts from a jug of fuel after its contents were drizzled onto open flames.
A man loads a 5-gallon gas can into his car at a Wawa gas station in Florida after a cyberattack crippled the biggest fuel pipeline in the country. Octavio Jones/ReutersThe huge burst of fire travels several feet across a room during the dramatic demonstration.
A sign on a gas pump informs customers that the station is out of gasoline in Atlanta. Megan Varner/Getty Images“NEVER pour flammable liquids from a container over an exposed flame,” the CPSC said.
“We know this sounds simple, but when people get desperate, they stop thinking clearly. They take risks that can have deadly consequences. If you know someone who is thinking about bringing a container not meant for fuel to get gas, please let them know it’s dangerous.”
