Cell phones can cause explosions at a gas station

MYTH

You’ve seen the ‘no smoking’ signs at gas stations. That’s pretty much common sense – don’t light up around gasoline fumes. However, more frequently gas stations have been posting ‘no cell phone’ signs at the gas pump, warning they could be harmful.

Ercument Arvas, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, said generally cell phones aren’t apt to cause explosions.

‘Under normal circumstances, no,’ Arvas said.

However, he raised caution about not-so normal circumstances, such as a recent gas spill during a hot day, which could leave fumes in the air. Yet even with gas-filled air, a person would need to have a bad cell phone that may spark in order for a gas explosion or fire to occur.

‘You could smoke a cigarette on a winter day and still pump gas, but that’s stupid,’ Arvas said.

John Banas, electronics technician in the department of mechanical and space engineering, said all cell phones are tested thoroughly before being put to the public.

‘They’re tested for explosion settings, radiation settings, emission tests – stuff you wouldn’t even think about,’ Banas said.

The explosion tests also take place at three times an explosive atmosphere than a person would encounter.

‘You could do it intentionally, but then you asked for it,’ Banas said.

Published on April 19, 2007 at 12:00 pm