Does Full Tank Petrol Cause Explosion, Here's The Truth

HOAX: During the summer, filling a fuel tank to the utmost capacity might result in an explosion.

The following message has been spreading on WhatsApp in English, urging residents not to fill their vehicles' fuel tanks to the full capacity, since this might result in an explosion due to growing heat. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd is credited for sending the message.

Some followers have inquired about the accuracy of this material. We discovered that the identical post had spread in Hindi on Facebook in 2016, accompanied by a video of a bike catching fire at a gas station before being doused. In 2018, the same allegation was made, but with a different video.

In 2016, it was also seen on Twitter.

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Indian Oil Had Clarified On Rumour

In June 2018, the state-owned oil and gas corporation published a clarification on Twitter, denying the comment that had been attributed to it. It goes on to say that filling the petrol tank to the utmost capacity is completely safe.

Important announcement from #IndianOil. @PetroleumMin @dpradhanbjp @ChairmanIOCL @AshutoshJindalS @RK_Mohapatra pic.twitter.com/v2ZSgruJm2

— Indian Oil Corp Ltd (@IndianOilcl) June 10, 2018

It should be recalled that Indian Oil published a similar statement in 2017. According to reports, this rumour has been circulating in India since at least 2015.

Claim Has No Scientific Rationale

The argument that filling the vehicle's fuel tank to the full capacity will cause an explosion defies scientific logic. This is because the auto-ignition temperature for petrol is 495°F (257°C), which is the lowest temperature necessary to ignite fuel or vapour in the air without the presence of a spark or flame. The highest recorded temperature on earth was 56.7°C (134°F), which was observed on 10 July 1913 at Greenland Ranch, Death Valley, California, USA.

Viral In Pakistan and UAE

The assertion that a full tank in sweltering heat will explode is not unique to India. Pakistan State Oil stated in a Facebook post in May 2018 that no such warning had been provided to consumers.

The rumour first spread in the UAE in 2012, when a series of emails warned consumers not to fill up their fuel tanks.

No similar warning has been issued by Indian Oil Corp Ltd., requesting customers to avoid filling up their fuel tanks. This is a rumour that has mostly circulated over WhatsApp.