A woman was stunned by the warning label regarding static electricity while fueling up at a gas station. TikTok creator Valerie (@_lifeofval) recorded herself reading the cautionary messaging plastered on the pump she was filling up at. The warning highlights a list of measures folks should take to ensure they aren’t transmitting a static charge to the gas they’re purchasing, potentially saving themselves from grisly injuries and even death. Static Shock + Gasoline = Flash Fires “I just came to pump gas. And did anybody know this about pumping?” she asks, before showing a warning label on the pump terminal stall. It reads: “Static hazard while filling portable containers. Always place containers on ground. Never fill portable containers that are in or on vehicle. Keep nozzle in contact with container while filling.” It explains what could happen if the aforementioned security protocols aren’t adhered to. “A static electric spark can occur when filling portable containers sitting on truck bed liners, or on any vehicle’s carpeting or floor matting. This spark will explosively ignite a gasoline vapor and cause serious injury or death.” It’s a cautionary measure that Valeria explains she wasn’t privy to previously. As she continues with her vehicle, she highlights another warning on the pump’s info sticker. “Discharge your static electricity before fueling,” it implores folks who are fueling up. The way to do this, the write-up states, is to touch any metallic surface with one’s bare hand before touching the fuel pump. This will discharge any static buildup. In order to prevent static buildup from re-occurring, the same data sheet tells customers to refrain from sitting back inside their cars while the car’s filling up with gasoline. Further, if customers must go back inside their vehicles, they should touch a metallic surface with their bare hand again prior to removing the gas nozzle. “It Says Back Away Immediately” Throughout her clip, Valerie records her surprised reaction after reading some of the information presented on the pump. “Use emergency shut off button to stop the pump,” she reads again, grimacing towards the lens. “Is that crazy?” she asks. “I never knew that. I always sit back in my car, ahh!” she squeals before showing the full guidelines in a closing shot of her video. OWNERSHIP STORIES Viral stories from across the web Our team of experts tracks what owners are saying about car-shopping, repairs, the daily driving experience and more on social media. The Salina Journal says that folks carrying a gallon of gasoline “exposes … [them] to the explosive power of 26 sticks of dynamite.” Like the warning label Valeria read in her TikTok, the culprit is “static electricity.” Specifically, “cold, dry conditions can create a spark when the driver touches the fuel nozzle,” the outlet writes. In the same piece, the Salina Journal calls these instances of static electricity-induced gasoline explosions a “rare” occurrence. “However, 176 static fires were reported to the Petroleum Equipment Institute from 2000 to 2010,” the publication reports. Moreover, just as the warning label in Valerie’s clip cautioned against, the majority of these fires were caused by folks who sat back inside their vehicles while fueling up. This, the Salina Journal writes, is due to “the friction of synthetic materials of the car seat and … [one’s] clothing.” The reaction often creates static electricity, which can culminate in a flash fire. Gallery: Beware Gas Pump Rip-offs Over Labor Day Weekend Exercising Caution at the Pump The same article also exhorts folks to abide by the following safety guidelines while fueling: Turning off vehicles while refueling. Staying near one’s car when it’s gassing up. Refraining from smoking or using matches or lighters near the pump. Not getting back in the car while refueling. If one does, touch metal with your bare hand to discharge static electricity. Not overfilling one’s tank to avoid gasoline from dripping or pooling on the ground. Placing portable gasoline canisters on the ground. Additionally, ensure the pump nozzle is in direct contact with the container while it is being filled with fuel. Furthermore, drivers should never keep a fuel tank of gasoline in the trunk of their car, as friction from bed liners, any fabrics, or other items could cause a static spark, resulting in a flash fire. The Maryland Department of the Environment has urged folks to take static shock fires at gas stations seriously and uploaded its own list of guidelines for folks whenever they’re filling their vehicles up with gasoline. According to the agency, gas vapors can instantly react with these sparks, which can result in a flash fire. There have been documented instances of these flash fires occurring. A YouTuber uploaded a clip of a woman filling her vehicle up with gasoline. Upon doing so, she returned to her vehicle briefly after placing the nozzle inside her car’s fuel line. Next, she stepped out to remove it, when a sudden flash fire materialized seemingly out of nowhere. She extinguished the flame on the nozzle and set it on the ground. However, there are visible flames blazing at the entrance point of her vehicle’s gas repository. She then runs away from her car as the clip comes to an end. Motor1 has reached out to Valeria via email for further comment. 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