How NOT to use a garage vacuum

From the Niagara Gazette , April 21 2010

• ACCIDENT: A resident of A Street narrowly avoided serious injury in an early morning mishap Wednesday that involved gasoline, a car and a vacuum cleaner. At 2:53 a.m., firefighters from the Royal Avenue station were alerted to respond to an automobile fire in the first block of A Street. On arrival, firefighters found a 1996 Buick on fire. The fire was quickly brought under control, but the nearby home did sustain a slight amount of damage. Apparently the resident was siphoning gas from the car and during the process some gasoline spilled onto the ground. In an attempt to clean up the gasoline, the resident decided to use a vacuum cleaner. The electrical motor of the vacuum ignited the gasoline, which in turn ignited the automobile. Most electrical appliances are not intrinsically safe and can easily ignite flammable and combustible vapors. If gasoline is spilled, it is best to use some type of absorbent material to remove the hazard. Never store absorbent material that has come into contact with gasoline or dangerous liquids inside a structure or near any heat source.