Following Superstorm Sandy, power outages and a fuel shortage led to many New York City residents purchasing gasoline to power generators and storing gasoline for use in automobiles. Improperly stored gasoline is a serious safety risk. The vapors alone from a gasoline container with a small amount of gasoline are just as dangerous as a full container. Many residents may still have gasoline stored from the storm, and the Department is urging all New Yorkers to immediately use that gasoline and to take the following important safety measures.
Any gasoline still stored in a container from Superstorm Sandy should be used immediately.
Never store gasoline inside an apartment or home. Gasoline should be stored outside, or in a vented garage away from any open flame.
Gasoline containers should never be stored in direct sunlight or in an area that may trap heat during extreme temperatures.
Only a 1 gallon approved safety container should be used for the storage of gasoline for residential use, and this gas should be used within 30 days.
Never dispose of gasoline by pouring into drains or sewers. This creates a dangerous and potentially explosive condition.
Vapors from one gallon of gasoline can produce an explosion with the same force as 14 sticks of dynamite.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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5 Responses
If a gas can is properly covered with a proper cap and stored in a shed or such there is no danger and no reason why it can’t be stored. I might add that having gone through sandy I now store 30 gallons of gas in case of another shortage and I treat the gas with stabil so it stays fresh for 2 years. I can’t understand why authority’s would discourage this after what we went through
hello eric55 – Is ok to keep in basement? Is sit on strong metal shelving is stabil ok?
Eric55- because some idiots were keeping gas in Tide detergent containers and water bottles.
eric55 – the technical term is “gezera lo plug”. I know that YOU are careful, but there are too many careless fools out there.
The Fire Department’s advice is good. I hope Commenter No. 1 does not live in my neighborhood. Nothing is 100% safe, and if, C”V, something goes wrong with Commenter No. 1’s storage tanks, 100% of his gasoline will explode. I think, also, there are building codes or other municipal laws that prohibit the storage of gasoline in quantities of more than a few gallons. It is not only yourself that you jeopardize when you store gasoline in a dense urban neighborhood, it is your neighbors and fire department personnel.