Kerosene lamps and cookstoves—The hazards of gasoline contamination

Abstract

Gasoline contamination of kerosene has been implicated in accidental fires associated with the use of kerosene illumination lamps and cook stoves. We have investigated potential causes of accidental fires in lamps and lanterns filled with contaminated fuel through controlled tests using typical appliances and varying amounts of contamination. Studying reports of accidents, it is apparent that a common cause of fires is filling hot appliances that are in operation or close to an open flame. The role of contaminated fuel vapor in creating a hazardous situation is shown to be crucial. We evaluate miscibility assumptions and quantify the hazard through flashpoint measurements for mixtures of kerosene and gasoline as a function of the amount of gasoline (up to 10%). A simple model for predicting the flashpoint of an arbitrary mixture is presented.