When a plastic gasoline container explodes,

[frogmarch]

is anything left of the container, or is it incinerated?

I’ve watched lots of plastic gas can explosions on You Tube, but none have shown what the container looked like afterward.

[Xipe Totec]

1. Planning something?

[frogmarch]

3. Nope! :-D

Thinking about a mystery.

The charred body of a man was found near where I live. His death may have been accidental, maybe from a flash explosion. No remains of an accelerant container were found in the rubble.

[NuclearDem]

11. Agent Mike is probably wondering the same thing.

[NYC_SKP]

2. In imagine there are usually parts of the container un-incinerated.

The gas would burn off before the plastic has a chance to rise to the temperature that it will be begin to burn.

That's if it explodes.

An open bucket with gas and then lit might begin to burn an burn entirely, but an exploding can of fuel would sent the fuel everywhere to either be burned quickly or just spread around in a way that wouldn't promote burning of the remains of the container.

That's just a guess.

[frogmarch]

6. Thanks. That's what

I've been wondering about, and I think you are right that the container probably wouldn't be totally destroyed in such an explosion.

[dipsydoodle]

4. Surely the explosion is outside of the container.

[frogmarch]

9. I think gas vapors

inside the container can ignite and cause the container to explode.

I'm certainly no fire expert, so it's all guesswork for me.

[aikoaiko]

5. A blown-out, ruptured container is recoverable.

eta: something like this http://www.wkw.com/areas-of-practice/personal-injury/gas-can-explosion-seriously-burns-teenager/

[frogmarch]

7. Yes! That's what I've been

trying to find - a photo of a ruptured container after an explosion.

Perfect. Thanks!

[Brother Buzz]

8. Full plastic gasoline containers don't explode

but if they rupture and catch fire, the plastic can ultimately melt and burn.

A nearly empty gasoline container can explode.

[frogmarch]

10. So, it's vapors in dead space

above the liquid that ignite cause the explosion?

Okay, now I can picture a full gasoline plastic container catching fire and melting. Thanks!