News operation of gasoline vapour emission controls at distribution terminals • Code of practice for petroleum road tanker vapour collection systems and equipment used in unloading operations.
UK, Essex, Latchingdon. Lucky escape at petrol station blaze A major disaster was averted after a car burst into flames at a petrol station. Crews from South Woodham Ferrers and Maldon worked quickly to contain the blaze to the car, which was parked at a pump at the Texaco garage in The Street, Latchingdon, shortly after 1.30pm on Tuesday, March 3. Sub officer Robin Chaplin from Maldon fire station said: "The woman driver had just filled up, she went to start the car and it burst into flames. The South Woodham crews were there first and used foam on the fire to prevent it spreading. "The driver was a bit shaken up, and the car was a write off. It was a lucky escape, it could have been a major disaster."
UK, Cambridge. Blaze at petrol station An electrical fault is believed to have sparked a blaze at a Cambridge petrol station. The fire broke out in the shop at the Shell garage in Newnham Road. Two fire engines attended the scene, and quickly had the fire under control. No-one was injured.
UK, Caerphilly. Checks after petrol pump faults Fuel pumps at more than 70 Tesco filling stations in the UK had to be checked after thousands of people were overcharged at one petrol garage. Motorists who filled up at the Ystrad Mynach store in Caerphilly county over a nine month period received less fuel than they paid for. The average overcharge amounted to £2 to £3 over nine months because of a software error at three pumps. Customers have been offered a refund or can opt for the money to go to charity. A Tesco spokesman said the error was spotted during a routine test at the 14
Ystrad Mynach garage last autumn. The fault meant less fuel was dispensed than was paid for by customers who used the affected pumps from 26 October, 2007 to 7 July last year. It meant the supermarket had to undertake the "lengthy process" of checking pumps at a further 72 of its service stations which use the same software. After no other faults were found, the company was able to trace customers who used the Ystrad Mynach branch using their Tesco Clubcards and credit cards. One driver who lives in Cardiff and used to work near Ystrad Mynach received a letter from the supermarket which offered a refund of 80p. "It's good of Tesco to own up to it, but I'm not going to go all the way to Ystrad Mynach to get my money back," she said. "I'd spend more than 80p in petrol just to drive there, so I'm happy to see them giving it to good causes. "I suppose Tesco could have stayed quiet about this and just kept all the money, so well done to them for owning up to it. "But you do wonder whether it ever happens anywhere else and we never find out about it."
UK, Blackpool. Smoke sets home on fire filling petrol tank Fire crews have issued a warning about the dangers of using petrol indoors after a man had a lucky escape from a ferocious house fire. The incident happened at a house on Kentmere Drive, Merseyside. It is thought the resident was refuelling a garden strimmer in the doorway to his living room when the fire broke out. Fire crews say it is suspected the petrol was accidentally ignited by a cigarette. The man managed to escape and raised the alarm, but the fire ripped through the property, causing severe damage. He was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital suffering the effects of smoke inhalation. Watch manager Pete Langley, from South Shore Fire Station, said: "It only took us four-and-a-half minutes to get to the scene from when we got the initial call. "In that time the fire had completely engulfed the front room and spread upstairs. It had spread so fast. "It was well alight and quite ferocious. "The occupant was very lucky. He had managed to get out and had some smoke inhalation, but other than that was not injured. He did go to hospital just to be checked over. "The downstairs of the house was completely destroyed and there was severe smoke damage to the
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upstairs. "People don't appreciate just how dangerous petrol can be. It's the fumes which ignite. "We urge people to take extra care when dealing with petrol and to never smoke or have a naked flame anywhere near petrol. "If it ignites, it spreads so rapidly. It can be lethal." Fire crews from Forest Gate and South Shore attended the blaze, along with Police, and were there for two hours.
UK, Birmingham. Bonfire man suffers severe burns A man in his 50s has suffered serious burns after an accident involving a bonfire in Birmingham, the ambulance service said. The service was called to a property off Lordswood Road, Harborne. A man had reportedly dropped a canister of petrol by a bonfire and it had ignited causing burns to his legs, lower back, right hand and his side. The man was helped by people at the scene before being taken to hospital. A spokesman said: "He had been taken inside by other people at the property and was having water put on the burns when the crews arrived. "They treated him with burns packs before taking him on blue lights to the specialist burns unit at Selly Oak Hospital."
UK, Northampton. Car crashes through busy petrol station forecourt A major explosion was averted when a car left a main road in Northamptonshire and crashed through a busy petrol station forecourt. Police and the fire service were called out to the BP garage on the A43 Brackley Road when a Mercedes car left the carriageway. After careering over the grass embankment, it collided with some gas pipes, causing the vapour to be released. However, a police spokesman later confirmed there had been no danger to the public, and the male driver was only slightly injured. Police, firefighters and paramedics were alerted to the scene but the car, which was a Mercedes C Class, had not caused as much damage as was initially feared. Eyewitness Daniel Ewen, aged 29, said he was visiting the adjacent McDonalds restaurant when he saw the accident happen. He said: "The gentleman involved said his brakes had failed. "He was travelling from the Brackley
