Childhood Burn Injuries Related to Gasoline Can Home Storage

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective. To examine the risks associated with home storage of gasoline and to outline prevention strategies to avoid further injury and death.Design. Case series.Patients and Other Participants. Twenty-five patients less than 6 years old were selected for study (3 by presentation to a tertiary care Children's Hospital Emergency Department, and 22 from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System Data during the same calendar year).Main Outcome Measures. Data collected included child's age; burn injury, either percent body surface area or minor, moderate, or major burn classification; mortality; circumstances related to ignition of gasoline, such as behaviors, and if can was opened or closed; and flame source.Results. Boys were involved in 95% of cases. Mean age was 2.7 years. The source of ignition was a pilot light in 100% of cases. Forty-four percent of patients died. Only vapors were ignited in 56% of cases. The gasoline can was described as closed in 64% of cases.Conclusion. Gasoline is dangerous. The rectangular red metal gasoline can is not safe either. National building codes and can specifications are needed to prevent serious injury and deaths among young children. Pediatrics 1997;99(3). URL: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/ content/full/99/3/e3; gasoline storage, pediatric burn injuries, fire safety.

Comparison of the effects of gasoline burn and chromic acid burn on different internal organs and immune functions in rats

“…Gasoline as a refined product of petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbons divided mostly between pentane C 5 H 12 and octane C 8 H 18 , and may also contain olefins, diolefins, cycloparaffins and aromatic hydrocarbons in various concentrations. With a high combustion heat and a low ignition temperature, gasoline is a good fuel and dangerous household substance due to its high volatility [11]. Significant full-thickness burn injuries may be caused by gasoline contact and absorption of hydrocarbons via the skin may cause systemic complications [12][13][14].…”