Camping stove accidents

[Little Rickie]

We had one of those small propane tanks which attaches to a single burner stove, like you can get from Dicks, leaked real bad at the connection and flames were shooting out all over the end of the picnic table.

An adult tried pouring water over the fuel bottle, it didn't work. I grabbed the stove since the flames were around the bottle opening and flung it as far as I could. When it hit the gound it snuffed out. I thought the dam thing was going to explode and make the picnic table into a ball of fire.

 

[Mac]

Exploding stove

Two August's ago, I was sitting quietly at Crag Camp reading "Not without Peril" when I heard a sudden commotion. One of the other denizens of the camp had knocked over his stove and flames were shooting out (accompanied by a loud hissing sound). He (and others) stared at it for a few long moments, then he grabbed it and ran outside. An impressive BANG ensued, and we all rushed outside. Our fellow hiker had placed it on a large flat rock and got safely away before the explosion. I'm not sure what type of stove, but he did have to pump it up before use.

 

[DrewKnight]

Not my accident, but one I observed up-close-and-personal a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... Hermit Lake Shelters, late October 1983 or so... We had just settled in and set up our bedrolls, eaten something that didn't require cooking (can't remember anymore what it was), and were chatting with a couple of very salty, experienced older hikers, while another young fellow was setting up his Svea 123 and bragging about how he just used regular gas, never needed white gas, etc. He pumped it up and touched it off, and the whole thing immediately went up with an impressive "Whoooomp" and a very large mushroom cloud. The guy backed away horrified, but one of the salty hiker types casually soccer-kicked it out onto the gravel where it slowly burned itself out. The shelter and its occupants remained largely unscathed. I can't remember if the stove-operator had the good grace to be embarrassed.

 

[TCD]

The poll also does not provide a category for "combination events." If you take the nice safe canister and toss it into the wood fire, you can be guaranteed a lovely show. I've done that with a mostly empty can of engine starting fluid, providing a very satisfying mushroom cloud.

 

[paul ron]

DSettahr n Chip... there are plenty of other questions that come up as a result of this poll. The poll itself is only to spur conversation about our experiances with different stoves more than making it a scientific research project.

I know VFTT has more experianced backpackers than any other forum on the net, thus the reason I am asking here n not getting beat up someplace else by couch campers.

It is interesting to see how many near misses we've all had with white gas n how well it was dealt with. It makes me wonder if it's a lack of experiance using the stoves or are they just plain old mean out of the gate? Maybe the follow up question?

My miss was an alcohol stove that tipped over in the backyard. I was making Pepsi stoves by the dozens in the 90s, trying different hole configurations n sizes doing side by side test with a stop watch n thermo. One on the third tear of stoves went over, I thought I had the situation under control with 6 stoves going at once, till I felt the heat running up my shins. I never saw the blue flames covering my legs. I had the hose at my side n did an Indian dance dosing myself with water. In fact I think I watered the entire lawn n my neighbors laundry on the dry line.

I've had one, not an accident, but mnore of an experiance with white gas. The first time I ever lit one in the 70s, I had 6 foot yellow flames... not properly primed. But have never had any since and still use one for winter. Must be an initiation thing, passage of rite.

So perhaps someone wants to add another poll to make this more meaningfull?... be my guest.

I do enjoy everyone's experiances.


.

 

[dug]

I started a rather large white gas fire from a leaking flexible cable on the top of Zeacliff one morning. Gas was leaking from the tube, where it was pooling and dribbling around the top of the cliff, and was ignited. I managed to put it out, and not burn myself to a crisp, all while keeping our Pemi from going up.

I looked like Jimi Hendrix praying to my guitar as wondered just how far this would spread.

 

[am&pm]

I think I'm worried. 40 years and I've never had an accident. I guess that means I'm due for a big one?

Of course, my Svea flames up like crazy when I'm priming it, but that's SOP.

You got a SVEA? I thought I was the only one still useing that one.

 

[mahony]

Stove?

No stove...no accidents

 

[bandana4me]

Must be my turn

Still no accidental uproars on a stove or wood fire (I rarely have a wood fire).

I also still have a Svea 123 with a sigg tourist mess kit. It is however retired and I fire it up about once a year just for kicks. They have been around for a long time.

Here is a popular mechanics story from '62 showing the Svea and sigg tourist kit!
http://books.google.com/books?id=mt...king&as_brr=1#v=onepage&q=backpacking&f=false

 

[Little Rickie]

I thought I had the situation under control with 6 stoves going at once, .

I do eInjoy everyone's experiances.

Always!

So perhaps someone wants to add another poll to make this more meaningfull?... be my guest.

That wouldn't be as much fun though.