I had purchased a home on a river flood plain. Many individuals had used the flood plain as a dumping ground. Right at the edge of my yard was a large pile of wood and in the middle of the wood was a large air conditioner. I wanted to clean up the yard...so after many attempts to try and free the air conditioner manually with no luck, I decided...wood burns, metal doesn't. Good idea right? So, I set the pile of wood on fire. I did consider the consequences of an air conditioner on fire but my only concern was the freon. I knew freon wasn't combustible so I figured I would be all right...what I didn't remember was the compressor, complete with oil. Anyway, the fire got very large, the air conditioner sparked and threw out embers so being the diligent nature nut I am, I go up to the fire to insure the fire doesn't spread to the nearby trees. A second spark and the next thing I knew (besides the ringing in my ears) I was 15 feet further away from the fire than I was a few minutes prior. The blast blew branches off of surrounding trees 50 feet in the air and was heard many blocks away. I ended up with a few cuts, a separated shoulder, and herniated my side (I bounce well apparently). Fortunately for me the blast blew "up" instead of "out" or I would have been a definite Darwin candidate. Air conditioners do go boom when incinerated!!!

Submitted on 08/22/2003

Submitted by: Kristi Hoerst
Reference: Personal Account

Copyright © 2003 DarwinAwards.com

Gregory said:
Maybe Toss: Lacks Excellence
Unless it's obviously stupid, I don't see it as a very strong candidate. I would not have expected such an explosion, so I have to give the submitter more credit than she gives herself.

Bill said:
Neutral: Personal Account
I think most people don't know all of what goes on inside an air-conditioner and would be wary of setting one on fire.

Bert said:
Neutral: Personal Account
Agree with Charles- not a smart thing to do, but a non-engineer might not think of the possibilities. Not to mention that freon makes phosgene gas (WWI war gas!) when heated in a flame.

Jack said:
Neutral: Personal Account

Charles said:
Neutral: Personal Account
I'm of two minds on this -- of course, I know, being an engineer, that freon will boil and as a result will burst a sealed system like an air conditioner. But obviously you didn't know that, and neither would many others, so I am tempted to class this as ignorance rather than stupidity...

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