What Darwin had in mind: Man uses lighter to check gas tank

[babylonsister]

http://www.kansas.com/news/breaking/story/753547.html


Posted on Mon, Mar. 30, 2009

BY STAN FINGER
The Wichita Eagle


WICHITA - On your list of things to never, ever do, add this one: Using a lighter to check if your fuel tank is empty.

A 44-year-old man from Fort Worth stuck a lighter into the neck of his dump truck's fuel tank Sunday night to confirm that's why the engine died, authorities said.

Diesel fuel vapors in the tank ignited, causing a flash fire that burned his face and hands, Wichita Fire Department Lt. Stuart Bevis said. The incident happened on the Kansas Turnpike in south Wichita shortly after 9:30 p.m, he said.

The man walked to a convenience store at 2750 S. Oliver to report his injury and was transported to the burn unit of Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus.

He is in good condition today, a hospital spokeswoman said.

[av8rdave]

1. According to the Darwin Awards website, it's an honorable mention when the person survives

He's got a lock on that!

[backscatter712]

13. Yeah, he's still able to reproduce.

There have been a few people who won Darwin Awards without actually dying...

[theoldman]

2. If it had been gasoline his troubles would be over.

Since he is not eligible for the Darwin award I guess he can win an award for stupidity. That would probably be the George W. Bush award.

[ben_jenne]

3. He lit a match

to check his tank

that's why they call him

skinless Frank


BURMA SHAVE

[Chipper Chat]

6. "Around the curve..lickity-split. It's a beautiful car.......wasn't it."

LOVE Burma-Shave.

[ben_jenne]

9. Back seat of the Old Mans' station wagon

in the 50's, heading for the Dakotas'. Have you dug WALL DRUG?

And you could buy Burma Shave at WALL DRUG too!

[omega minimo]

4. Good thing Lt. Bevis was there to help

Butthead :spray:

[Sebastian Doyle]

7. Lt. Bevis was later asked what he saw at the scene of the incident.

His response?

[omega minimo]

8. LOL

:evilgrin: :rofl:




:cry: poor Butthead

[jobycom]

5. If literary devices ruled the world, the explosion would have blown him all the way

to Florida. :rofl:

Seriously, glad he survived.

[underpants]

10. I use a flashlight

I don't trust them gas pumps neither

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Did the cops use a lighter to check his breath?

[blondeatlast]

12. Kansas Turnpike at rush hour? Glad it wasn't public or anything;

that would be so embarrassing on top of painful.

Oops.

[Lance_Boyle]

14. That's not a gas tank!

That's a fuel tank. Dieseler's pet peeve.

[Historic NY]

15. gene pool w/o a life guard.

[damntexdem]

16. He did it in Kansas, but note that he was from down here in Texas.

And it was diesel fuel -- imagine had it been gasoline.

But doesn't Via Cristi St. Joseph still have an ER? -- 2750 S. Oliver would seem to be much closer to St. Joe's than to St. Frank's.