Why you should shut off pilot lights before fueling up

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Why you should shut off pilot lights before fueling up
Russ and Tina DeMaris

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As you sit around the campfire with other RVers, you'll hear plenty of discussions on the "do's and don'ts" of RVing. Some of the most heated discussions center on whether or not to leave pilot lights lit when driving or towing your RV down the road. We've commented on this topic before. One thing we hope most RVers can agree on is this: ALWAYS shut off your pilot lights or any automatic lighting systems for propane appliances before you refuel--for any sort of fuel.

Here's a bit of dramatic evidence, courtesy of the Daily Comet of LaFourche Parish, Louisiana.

The owner, and Indiana man, inserted the gas hose nozzle in his tank, and when the pump started off, the force of the fuel flow blew the nozzle back out of the tank. Unfortunately, the nozzle was stuck in the full open position, blasting gasoline onto the concrete apron and under this Class B motorhome.

The man speculates that a pilot light, still turned on in his rig, gave the gas vapor an ignition point. While his wife and dog were able to bail out of the rig and save their lives, the rig and their possessions where a total loss.

source: http://www.dailycomet.com/

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