Slush Pile: Blue flames mean no smoking

2007 Slush Pile

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Blue flames mean no smoking

2007 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Lit match, gas and rain contributed to Woodard home explosion http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/cnhi/cleburnetimesreview/homepage/local_story_192142909.html?keyword=leadpicturestory

Second woman dies from explosion http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/local/local_story_199175829.html

Summary A man called the fire department because every time his wife lit a cigarette, blue flames shot up to the ceiling. The fire department told them not to smoke. The wife just had to have another cigarette, the house blew up.

You have to read a bit down the page of the first link.

Quoting Flames shooting to the ceiling before the explosions

David Pawlik phoned the fire department’s nonemergency line about 45 minutes to an hour before his home exploded, according to reports. In a May 31 letter, Cleburne Fire Inspector Scott Oesch writes that David Pawlik called and said, “every time my wife lights a cigarette a blue flame shoots up to the ceiling.”

Oesch said, “No, I doubt it” when Pawlik asked if his air conditioner could be drawing gas into the house from outside.

In his letter, Oesch said he told Pawlik he would come check the situation out and asked Pawlik to tell his wife to quit lighting cigarettes until he got there.

Oesch later told Wright he did not initiate an emergency response as Pawlik did not seem excited or distressed about the situation and that he [Oesch] planned to go check on the situation personally as soon as he could. Pawlik also told Oesch he did not smell any gas.

Pawlik, nonetheless, lit a match, according to reports, because Hazel Pawlik wanted a cigarette before Oesch arrived.

Two explosions

The first match went out. The second ignited what Wright determined to be a flash fire of gas accumulated by the ceiling. A second explosion 15-20 seconds later occurred when the fire penetrated into the attic space, which had a much higher concentration of gas, according to reports. The second explosion resulted in severe structural damage including the collapse of bricks and wallboard into the room where family members had been seconds before.

Submitted on 09/17/2007

Submitted by: Bill Adams
Reference: http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/cnhi/cleburnetimesreview/homepage/local_story_192142909.html?keyw

>> Moderator Scores <<

Chip said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat
Thanks Bill, but we already have this story under consideration.

Bruce said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat
Thanks, Bill, we received this story dozens of times back when the incident actually occurred.

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2007 Slush Pile

Blue flames mean no smoking

2007 Reader Submission Pending Acceptance

2007 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance