Coyote machine
Super Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2009
- Messages
- 7,660
- Location
- Southern VT
- Tractor
- 22 SANY SY 50U, '10 Kioti DK 40se/hst KL-401 FEL, loaded tires, KB-2485 bhoe, Tuffline TB160 BB, Woods QA forks, MIE Hydraulic bhoe thumb & ripper tooth, Igland 4001 winch, & GR-20 Log Grapple. Woods BBX72" Brush Mower. Diamondplate aluminum canopy
I was going to start my large burn pile with old gas I had drained out of some mowers and chainsaws. I had the container in the back of my UTV and sniffed it to see how potent it might or might not be. It didn't seem too strong on fumes, and I poured it over the section of hay I had stuffed into the as yet unlit burn pile. I'd gone back to the house previously to get matches, but for some reason forgot to grab them after having grabbed the grill lighter/igniter, fueled by butane. I thought to myself at the time, using a handheld butane lighter to start the burn pile was NOT a good idea because I'd have to bend down near the gas to light it. I then spaced out stopping to get the matchbox from my ATV in the garage on the way to the burn pile.
When I got to the pile and doused the hay I thought, I'm placing it too high on the branches and it was likely to splash on my clothes. I lowered the plastic container to just cover the hay at about waist height.
I then poured a substantial amount on the ground* as I backed away from the hay and pile, (partly because the gas container opening was about inch and 1/2 wide, which allowed a lot of gas to pour out; (and the spout was a twist to lock to allow it to let gas out when inverted into a mower's tank), BUT it no longer worked, so it was only used for old gas storage for the burn pile use.
*I usually use this method as a 'wick' to allow the flame to travel to the burn pile from a distance.
I had left the filter spout in the back of the UTV with the rest of the hay bale in case I needed more to restart the fire if it didn't catch immediately or burnt out, as is often the case.
Then I made one of several near fatal mistakes. I used the gas container to mark the place where I stopped pouring gas on the ground so I would know where to start the fire. I have always previously removed any containers of gas, and usually pour a little gas or fuel mix for saws etc. into a coffee can and then pour from it onto the hay and ground as my 'wick/fuse' to the burn pile. I've never previously poured directly from a large container of gas onto the pile and hay and ground. I did remove the container BUT kept it in my left hand away from my body when I bent down to just 'spark' the gas enough the 'wick' would bring the fire to the burn pile.
Soon as the butane lighter sparked I heard the whap-pow of ignition and the heat burning my right arm and face as I turned away from the burn pile. Too late, I had been hit by the immediate and sudden explosion of a fireball. I instinctively turned away from the flames and could feel the burn. It happened so fast I could not get away, but I had to. I was holding a couple of gallons of gas in my left hand with no top on it!
I dove to the ground as I turned away and dropped the gas can as I fell to the ground. I realized I had to move in case the can of gas ignited; that outcome could be way worse and could possibly set me on fire or kill me as I burned.
I was dazed and confused and got away from the fire and the can and collected my thoughts and assessed my situation. I went over and retrieved the can and put it in the back of the UTV and secured its spout/cap. I realized I was hurt from the blast of flames but had no mirror to check my face for extent of damage, and my wife had gone to get food about 30 minutes away. I jumped in the UTV and drove back to the house.
I searched high and low for Neosporin to put on my face and arm where I had sustained burns. My Sunglasses, hat, beard and mustache were all singed, and my right nostril was burned, top layer of skin gone. Fortunately I escaped with my life and essentially minor burns, BUT a few things going differently and I could easily have been badly burned or died from burns had the big can caught the initial burst of ignition or subsequently had gas made it back to the burn pile the can could have exploded and taken me with it.
Why did this happen? I made crucial errors in judgement and was not situationally aware enough of what was happening when I sparked the butane lighter.
I had a lot of things on my mind since my excavator is coming tomorrow to repair extensive and what will likely be very expensive repairs to my ditches and driveways at my two adjacent properties from a monster storm that hit the entire area last weekend.
I changed my previously 'proven' to be relatively safe method of lighting my every several years burning of a big brush pile in one of my fields relatively near my house. I used a handheld butane lighter, which got me right up close and too personal to the starting of the burn pile fire. In past I had always used the 'wick' on the ground as the way to keep my distance from the pile. This time I got stupid, rushed and not thinking clearly.
It could have cost me my life. If things had gone worse there was no one home to come to my rescue or to call for help.
I should have asked my wife to remain at home until the burn was under way and under control. I had a burn permit, as required by law, but that wouldn't have done me any good other than having complied with my local officials being notified and my having been OKed to burn over the weekend by the fire chief.
I relate the details of this nightmare to remind anyone reading, one HAS to take way better precautions than I did, and one should NEVER burn a brush pile when there is no one else on premises, at a minimum.
I made grave errors and count myself very fortunate as to the actual outcome, considering how badly things easily could have gone way worse.
Thanks for reading, and I hope it serves to remind others how accidents can happen, especially if one doesn't focus completely on the specific job and its dangers, prior to proceeding with safely lighting a burn pile.
CM out
Note; My avatar shows the exact location of the last time I had my burn pile going, and then I had both my wife and daughter on premises, as an added safety measure....
When I got to the pile and doused the hay I thought, I'm placing it too high on the branches and it was likely to splash on my clothes. I lowered the plastic container to just cover the hay at about waist height.
I then poured a substantial amount on the ground* as I backed away from the hay and pile, (partly because the gas container opening was about inch and 1/2 wide, which allowed a lot of gas to pour out; (and the spout was a twist to lock to allow it to let gas out when inverted into a mower's tank), BUT it no longer worked, so it was only used for old gas storage for the burn pile use.
*I usually use this method as a 'wick' to allow the flame to travel to the burn pile from a distance.
I had left the filter spout in the back of the UTV with the rest of the hay bale in case I needed more to restart the fire if it didn't catch immediately or burnt out, as is often the case.
Then I made one of several near fatal mistakes. I used the gas container to mark the place where I stopped pouring gas on the ground so I would know where to start the fire. I have always previously removed any containers of gas, and usually pour a little gas or fuel mix for saws etc. into a coffee can and then pour from it onto the hay and ground as my 'wick/fuse' to the burn pile. I've never previously poured directly from a large container of gas onto the pile and hay and ground. I did remove the container BUT kept it in my left hand away from my body when I bent down to just 'spark' the gas enough the 'wick' would bring the fire to the burn pile.
Soon as the butane lighter sparked I heard the whap-pow of ignition and the heat burning my right arm and face as I turned away from the burn pile. Too late, I had been hit by the immediate and sudden explosion of a fireball. I instinctively turned away from the flames and could feel the burn. It happened so fast I could not get away, but I had to. I was holding a couple of gallons of gas in my left hand with no top on it!
I dove to the ground as I turned away and dropped the gas can as I fell to the ground. I realized I had to move in case the can of gas ignited; that outcome could be way worse and could possibly set me on fire or kill me as I burned.
I was dazed and confused and got away from the fire and the can and collected my thoughts and assessed my situation. I went over and retrieved the can and put it in the back of the UTV and secured its spout/cap. I realized I was hurt from the blast of flames but had no mirror to check my face for extent of damage, and my wife had gone to get food about 30 minutes away. I jumped in the UTV and drove back to the house.
I searched high and low for Neosporin to put on my face and arm where I had sustained burns. My Sunglasses, hat, beard and mustache were all singed, and my right nostril was burned, top layer of skin gone. Fortunately I escaped with my life and essentially minor burns, BUT a few things going differently and I could easily have been badly burned or died from burns had the big can caught the initial burst of ignition or subsequently had gas made it back to the burn pile the can could have exploded and taken me with it.
Why did this happen? I made crucial errors in judgement and was not situationally aware enough of what was happening when I sparked the butane lighter.
I had a lot of things on my mind since my excavator is coming tomorrow to repair extensive and what will likely be very expensive repairs to my ditches and driveways at my two adjacent properties from a monster storm that hit the entire area last weekend.
I changed my previously 'proven' to be relatively safe method of lighting my every several years burning of a big brush pile in one of my fields relatively near my house. I used a handheld butane lighter, which got me right up close and too personal to the starting of the burn pile fire. In past I had always used the 'wick' on the ground as the way to keep my distance from the pile. This time I got stupid, rushed and not thinking clearly.
It could have cost me my life. If things had gone worse there was no one home to come to my rescue or to call for help.
I should have asked my wife to remain at home until the burn was under way and under control. I had a burn permit, as required by law, but that wouldn't have done me any good other than having complied with my local officials being notified and my having been OKed to burn over the weekend by the fire chief.
I relate the details of this nightmare to remind anyone reading, one HAS to take way better precautions than I did, and one should NEVER burn a brush pile when there is no one else on premises, at a minimum.
I made grave errors and count myself very fortunate as to the actual outcome, considering how badly things easily could have gone way worse.
Thanks for reading, and I hope it serves to remind others how accidents can happen, especially if one doesn't focus completely on the specific job and its dangers, prior to proceeding with safely lighting a burn pile.
CM out
Note; My avatar shows the exact location of the last time I had my burn pile going, and then I had both my wife and daughter on premises, as an added safety measure....
