Wal-Mart agrees to contribute $25 million to settle gas can explosion lawsuits

[Havana woody]

The nation's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, has agreed to contribute about $25 million to settle unresolved lawsuits filed on behalf of consumers allegedly injured or killed in explosions involving portable plastic gas cans, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.

The money from Wal-Mart amounts to slightly more than 15 percent of a proposed $161 million fund that would settle dozens of lawsuits against the largest manufacturer of these cans, Blitz USA, records from U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware show. A hearing on the proposed settlement is set for early next year.

The retail chain, the largest seller of plastic gas cans, sold tens of millions of Blitz gas cans. In agreeing to contribute toward the settlement, it does not acknowledge any safety defect in the Blitz cans.
Blitz, based in Miami, Okla., and formerly the nation's largest manufacturer of plastic gas cans, is now in bankruptcy and out of business, largely because of the lawsuits and previous payouts to victims of alleged gas can explosions.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101256842

 

[Havana woody]

ITs FEKKIN GASOLINE
Its flammable,
It can not be made idiot proof.

The cans didn't cause the ignition opening and using them around ignition sources did.

The primary problem is that we have Dumbed down people to the point were common sense has been eroded by the myth that we live in federally regulated safety land.

 

[hanniedog]

Wonder how many jobs were lost when that company went under? Frigging low life lawyers.

 

[John R]

Ya just can't stupid

 

[zogger]

What caused the cans to go primarily? Spilled gas, static electricity or what?

 

[LarryRFL]

Throwing gas on fires, mostly.

 

[zogger]

The link from the link says there are "flame arrestors" that could be incorporated into the cans. Cheap plastic part. Basically some sort of screen.

My small cans all have the old fashioned vent that you can pop open first. But I also keep them in the shade when using and storing, very rarely does a can get any direct sunlight on it.

I notice the canned fuel has a plastic screen like structure under the spout, perhaps for this reason.

 

[Havana woody]

the flame arrest screen is just a patch on the real problem "stupidity" We have all done stuff that was unsafe and many have got away with it, but to blame the manufacture of the can is just wrong. Its like suing krispy creme for making you fat.

 

[zogger]

the flame arrest screen is just a patch on the real problem "stupidity" We have all done stuff that was unsafe and many have got away with it, but to blame the manufacture of the can is just wrong. Its like suing krispy creme for making you fat.

Oh, I am sure a lot of operator error is involved here, but..I haven't seen all the details of the dozens of lawsuits either. It could very well be something really weird like the exact plastic composition combined with certain atmospheric conditionsm, etc, get a static spark and poof o rama.

I am not going to internet quarterback this one. I will readily acknowledge that people can do some dumb stuff, but I haven't been convinced plastic gas cans of any type have been really safe either. I go way outta my way to keep those plastic cans cool and in the shade, I don't trust them once under heat and sunshine pressure. And if they-engineers "they", knew that adding a cheap part made them loads safer, and the company didn't do it anyway, well..I am not overly sympathetic with the gascan makers either. Indications are, they *did* know about adding that little cheap part.

And just on this site, dozens of guys have bitched about plastic gas cans, they spill easy or whatever, various reasons. Puncture easy, swell in the heat and pop, stuff like that.

I use mine, they are the old fashioned kind, but once they are no good, I am switching to a small metal outboard tank. Was gonna do that anyway, even before I read this.

 

[John R]

Thanks to the government you can't buy a good gas can anymore.

 

[windthrown]

ITs FEKKIN GASOLINE
Its flammable,
It can not be made idiot proof.

The cans didn't cause the ignition opening and using them around ignition sources did.

The primary problem is that we have Dumbed down people to the point were common sense has been eroded by the myth that we live in federally regulated safety land.

What he said, in spades.

Now gas cans will cost $100 each because of liability, taxes, and some gov't program to label cans and train the stupids of the earth how to fill and store gas. I have a dozen Blitz cans of all types and I have had dozens more in metal and plastic. I have stored diesel, gas, mixed gas, and AvGas, and I have never ever had an issue with any of them, even when I used to use gas to light slash piles. I have had them bubble up in the heat, freeze in the ice, and I have never had a problem, ever. I mean, how stupid do you have to be?

 

[jughead500]

Wonder how much of the problem is caused by the epa spouts and non venting cans?

 

[jughead500]

Since the non venting cans have been enforced I've spilled more gas than I did with the old ones with the flippy vent and flex spout.The next Blitz cans with the rigid black spout and no flippy vent was a little worse.Those flammid cans with the lever spout was just impossible for me to get used to so I mixed and matched parts until I could use my old rigid spouts with the new cans.
The way I see it.I'm not a gas can scientist by any means but if the can doesnt vent it sucks the sides in.When it does happen to get a "Breath" of Air it seems to me that it would be more Likely to "Suck" up Flames and sparks both from Ignition sources and Static and electrical ignitions.

 

[LegDeLimber]

the first one looks pretty much planned.
The second one I think is a safe bet it's a genuine OH ****! moment.
Third one is just an excellent shot of the fumes catching the guy oblivious to what he had done.



and yes it annoys me to see the cost of a gasoline container now as a result of litigation.

 

[Havana woody]

 

[Canthook Coasty]

Sure beats using old milk jugs.

 

[GrassGuerilla]

Since the non venting cans have been enforced I've spilled more gas than I did with the old ones with the flippy vent and flex spout.The next Blitz cans with the rigid black spout and no flippy vent was a little worse.Those flammid cans with the lever spout was just impossible for me to get used to so I mixed and matched parts until I could use my old rigid spouts with the new cans.

Sing it brother.

 

[LarryRFL]

According to the CEO of Blitz in an interview (I forget where it was, Fox News maybe) the spark arrestor the government wanted them to install would actually cause a spark and ignite the gas, especially in low humidity where static electricity builds quicker and more strongly. The government put them out of business, not the lawsuits.

 

[chuckwood]

The nation's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, has agreed to contribute about $25 million to settle unresolved lawsuits filed on behalf of consumers allegedly injured or killed in explosions involving portable plastic gas cans, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101256842

Many years ago, my next door neighbor decided to burn a big brush pile that had been left behind by a bankrupt contractor. I was sitting inside and hear a big "whomp" followed by some howling and yelling. I went outside to see what was going on and the poor guy was hosing himself down and his face and arms were red. I had some bags of ice in the freezer and I brought 'em over. He and his scared wife got in their car and roared off to the hospital with the ice, which I think helped quite a bit. The poor dude recovered in about a week or so and considered himself lucky, it could have been a lot worse. He was a plumber by trade, a blue collar guy, and should have known better. Why do people keep doing this?

 

[hamish]

As Blitz was the largest producer in the US...........who makes your cans now?