It has always been known that aerosol spray cans can be dangerous when exposed to flames, and manufacturers of these cans always caution the user not to throw the can into an open flame even if empty. Ever wondered why?
This particular incident that happened outside the Two Henry's Pub in Shrewsbury, England is a reminder of how dangerous the aerosol filled cans can be, if not used cautiously. A man named Joe, said to be in his early 20's suffered minor burn injuries because of an explosion in his car.
Looking at the car in which the explosion happened, it is hard to believe that Joe walked away from the incident with just minor burns. As a result of this explosion, the roof of the car was bent, the front windscreen was thrown 75-feet away from the car, the front passengers' door was bent like it was rammed by an elephant, from the inside! And the cause for all this, was a can of air freshener.
A police spokesperson was quoted as saying that the explosion was believed to have been caused when an open flame from a lighter came in contact with an air freshener that had been sprayed moments earlier within the vehicle."
Well, many might be wondering how this happened. The reason could be the pressure inside the car. The car was parked in the pub's parking lot, so it is safe to assume that it had been there for a while. Air is a gas, and atmospheric gaseous pressure remains the same inside and outside unless the car was hermetically sealed.
However, since the man got into the car and sprayed the air freshener from the pressurised can immediately, the atmospheric pressure might have changed and this was reflected when the man used a lighter to light a cigarette.
This is, speculation at best, as details are not known yet. But there might have been other substances or factors involved in the incident, as paramedics and firefighters who arrived at the scene described it as a 'freak incident'. There are no other known cases of such incidents' occurrence.
DriveSpark Thinks!
This is definitely a freak incident and is an isolated one at that. However, it does pay off to be cautious and hence it is suggested not to expose air fresheners or deodorants in a confined space, to an open flame immediately after it has been sprayed.
We should make it very clear that, the air freshener in question here is not the ones which are usually stuck onto the dashboard or fixed to the air conditioning vent, but is a pressurised canister.
It is always suggested to open the windows and let some fresh air inside the car before moving, or even turning on the air conditioning, especially if the car was parked directly under the sun.
Images from: OPU Shropshire
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