Idiot customer causes explosion

[Andara Bledin]

That customer is a real winner.

While I don't think that there were really any more safety precautions available as far as lifing the truck (I suspect the rupture was due to the tank finally giving out due to the motion of the lift), whoever was driving the truck into position should have at least glanced at the fuel gauge before it was lifted.

^-.-^

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Both times I had to have fuel pumps replaced on my trucks, the gas tanks had been filled the day before. The first time, the pump failed as I was pulling out of the gas station. I barely made it the 3 blocks home. There was no way I would have been able to burn off any of the 20 gallons of fuel it was carrying.

But, I did let them know the tanks had just been filled, both times I had them in the shop. And, they were returned with full tanks.

Well then you did have a valid excuse for having full tanks and you were at least kind enough to let them know that fact. So no harm, no foul.

M

[IlovemyGeek]

It ruptured while they were lifting it up, I'm waiting to hear from my MIL more details. I guess it happened pretty quick, the explosion happened when they were under the lift

[lordlundar]

Sounds like an unfortunate accident.

Doesn't matter at this stage. He ran away, which means he at least faces criminal neglect charges.

[FuzzyKitten99]

The DMV ought to issue IQ tests before you can get a driver's license or buy a car.

unfortunately IQ has nothing to do with common sense. You could have a 140 IQ and still not have a lick of common sense, courtesy, or even decency.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I can see why it wasnt syphoned first, because they where going to lift it first and it ruptured before they could.

I would've crawled under the truck first to see what condition the tank was in. Obviously if the tank is rusting through in places it's much more likely to rupture and spill gas.

[Tanasi]

Why would one lift a truck to syphon a tank? I've syphoned tanks before and all you have to have is your receiving tank lower than the source tank if you're using a gravity syphon. I would have used an old inline fuel pump with two hoses then again since I'm not a professional mechanic maybe I'm missing something.
As to fault granted the truck owner did something stupid but IMO I think the mechanics did their fair share also. I also doubt the motion of the lift caused the tank to rupture, the truck was driven there and it sustained more movement from that than the lifting process. Perhaps they positioned the lift arms too close to the tank supports or on the tank itself and flexed the truck causing it to rupture but that's not the owners fault.
Something else a full tank isn't as dangerous as a nearly empty one. Gas in a liquid state is hard to burn it must be in a gaseous state to ignite. I've seen lit cigarettes thrown in gasoline and the cig was extinguished by the gasoline. Empty tanks on the other hand with even a little bit of gas in them are like bombs. I believe the Navy still fills empty fuel tanks on aircraft with nonflamable gases if the aircraft is not in a flight state.