Two stove explosions with "Yukon" gasoline stoves. See

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgDl7SVAJLw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The multifuel Yukon stove pours gasoline through a plate into a tin box. It is common for soldiers not paying attention to start the gasoline drip and not start the stove right away. This places a puddle of gasoline on the bottom. Additionally soldiers will replace the gas can on a hot stove that has run out of fuel. Gas starts flowing and kaboom.

Incident 1 happened with a private starting a stove with a visible puddle of gasoline. Three casualties - non fatal.

Incident 2 occurred with a hot stove and a soldier that changed the gas can after the fire went out. He went to light the vaporized gas and it blew up. 1 casualty non fatal.

Incident 3 occurred when a female soldier decided it was too cold to go to the latrine. She squatted over the stove and did her business in a can. She slipped and sat on the Yukon stove sustaining 3rd degree burns to her backside.

Incident 4 occurred when two privates drank gasoline and contracted hydrocarbon pneumonia. The "official" explanation was that they mistook a metal gasoline Jerry can for a plastic water jug. The nurse at the bivouac was so impressed that she had kick the cots of these two :) (to help them cough out the fluid). I had to walk these two back to their cantonment.

6 at risk survivors.

Submitted on 09/02/2011

Submitted by: Joseph
Reference:

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James said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
Perhaps there are inherent design flaws in this stove (and Minnesota is A COLD PLACE), but I can't help chuckling at the imagination shown by soldiers using such implements! I will keep this as a PA!

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
Unbelievable... Thanks, Joseph!

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