
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 24, 1994                   TAG: 9405240068
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By ERIKA BOLSTAD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FIRE MARSHAL: 'GASOLINE IS MUCH MORE HAZARDOUS THAN WE THINK'

W.C. and Flonnie Bolling have lived in their house on Fairmont Drive in Vinton for 38 years. Last Tuesday, a fire started when gasoline vapors in the garage ignited, causing more than $35,000 in damage to their home.

Now, the Bollings must move everything out of their home and let insurance adjusters assess the losses.

Rodney Ferguson, assistant fire marshal for Roanoke County, doesn't want this to happen to anyone else.

``Gasoline is much more hazardous than we think,'' Ferguson said. "We're comfortable with it because we use it every day.''

The fire at the Bollings' home started when vapors escaped from a gasoline can in the garage. The can was only about one-fourth full.

``That gas can full of gas is less dangerous,'' Ferguson said. ``When the can is full, there is less room for vapors to escape.''

Vapors from the can in the garage were drawn into the basement when the door was open. Since gasoline vapors hug the ground, no one smelled them.

Ferguson traced the source of ignition to a freezer in the basement. An exhaust fan on the freezer pulled the vapors in, he said. When the freezer cut off, it caused a spark that ignited the vapors.

Ferguson has some suggestions to keep this from happening again.

``Storing gasoline inside is extremely dangerous,'' Ferguson said. ``The only good way to store gasoline is outdoors.''

Ferguson also said not to park hot lawn mowers inside, and even suggests storing them outside. He urges people to make sure there is proper ventilation around other combustible materials such as paint thinner and charcoal starter fluid.

by CNB