Men severely burned when gas containers in vehicle ignite, Fort Worth authorities say
Two men suffered serious third-degree burns Monday evening when containers of gasoline inside of the vehicle they were driving in ignited, according to Mike Drivdahl, a Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman.
One of the men was flown via Careflite to Parkland Memorial Hospital in critical condition, he said. The other was transported on the ground to Parkland in serious condition.
It’s unclear what caused the gasoline to ignite, Drivdahl said.
The men, he said, were driving on Miller Avenue near Forbes Street around 8:30 p.m. when the car caught fire. The vehicle had been carrying gasoline “inside of a passenger compartment,” he said, and the fumes ignited.
They were able to escape from the vehicle on their own, Drivdahl said.
The vehicle suffered significant burn damage.
Drivdahl said this incident should serve as a reminder that when transporting gasoline inside of a small space, vapors can accumulate and “any small ignition” can start a fire.
“The most important thing,” he said, “is people need to be extremely cautious when they’re transporting any type of flammable fluid.”
People should always use approved gasoline containers, he said, and make sure they’re transporting it in as ventilated an area as possible.
Arson investigators were on the scene of the fire Monday evening, Drivdahl said. The investigation is ongoing.
This story was originally published February 25, 2020 at 8:38 AM.
