Static Electricity, Not Cell Phones, Causes Gas Pump Fires

From Deseret News, yet another reminder that static electricity generated by re-entering and exiting your vehicle while refueling can cause fires or explosions at the gas pump. It's a rare occurrence, to be sure — 250 known cases out of 11 to 12 billion refuelings per year in the United States — but the petroleum industry is keen on making consumers aware of the danger nonetheless. On the other hand, the perennial claim that cell phones have been responsible for gasoline explosions is an urban legend, the same sources say. Despite warning stickers now posted in most gas stations, there has not been a single documented instance of a cell-phone-caused fire to date. Discuss.