Gas station firearms discharge.

[wvboy]

Mas, thanks for your time, we really appreciate the time you spend answering our questions. In an effort to be more environmentally aware (not like "going green") while I was pumping gas this morning I wondered what would happen if I had to use a firearm right there at the pump. Seeing how nowadays people spend so much time in gas stations, it seems a likely place for mugging etc. My question is, would discharging a firearm create enough ignition ability to cause a fire/explosion. I've seen people smoke in gas stations, but they weren't right over the pump. I know it's only the fumes of gas that ignite, but I just don't know if muzzle flashes are enough to start something. What do you think? Thanks again.

[Mas Ayoob]

I don't have access to any studies on that. I would personally, if fighting for my life next to gas pumps, worry more about neutralizing the threat than muzzle flashes igniting gasoline vapors.

You might want to toss this question out into one of the general forums here at GT. With all the folks we have here, there's gotta be someone who works in the petroleum industry and has access to studies on this topic, if in fact they've ever been done.

best,
Mas