There is always a cautionary notice against using mobile phones at petrol pumps due to the fear that electromagnetic waves from mobile phones can induce current and generate an electric spark in nearby metal conductors, triggering a fire. Recently, a similar incident took place in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The CCTV footage of this incident has gone viral on social media.
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In the CCTV footage, a man is seen on his bike at a petrol pump. As soon as the petrol pump attendant takes out the hose to fill the petrol in his bike, the man takes out his mobile phone from his pocket. Instantly, the hose and the bike catch fire. The attendant is seen using a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze.
It is not clear whether the fire was caused by the mobile phone, but it surely raises a lot of concerns, especially in this day and age when almost everyone makes payments through online modes.
According to a 2016 report, the government had assured users that it is safe to use mobile phones at petrol pumps, albeit within specific safety guidelines. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, through its Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation, informed the petroleum ministry that it is completely safe to use mobile phones at petrol stations at a certain height and distance from the pumps. “We want to promote digital transactions and bust any myths about phone use being overtly dangerous at petrol pumps,” the Economic Times quoted a senior government official as saying.
