A FLASH OF FLAME.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 369, 10 March 1932, Page 5

A FLASH OF FLAME.

Exciting Drama at Petrol Station. CAR OWNER TO BLAME. (Special to the "Star.”) LONDON, January 27. A graphic description of a motor-car blaze outside a garage was given by counsel at the West London CountyCourt yesterday. Arthur Leonard Lambert, of Woodstock Road, Bedford Park, claimed £l6 11s 6d from the Goldhawk Garage, Limited, for personal injtiry and damage to clothing. Mr A. F. Engelbach said that Mr Lambert and a Mr Evans called at a garage for petrol. A boy put the nozzle of the petrol pump hose in the spout of the tank, and later Mr Evans saw the petrol bubbling over. He shouted: “ Look out, it’s coming over,” and the boy came running back. Instead of turning off the pump lever (continued counsel), the boy seized the hose and jerked the nozzle out of the tank. Ablaze in a Moment. “ And swish goes the petrol over Mr Lambert and the cushions and other parts of the car,” said Mr Engelbach. " The next thing that happened was a flash of flame, and in a moment the two men were ablaze. “ One leapt out and the other tumbled out. “ Then employees of the garage ran out with chemical extinguishers and rolled both men in a blanket in the road.” The boy who operated the pump gave evidence that three gallons were ordered, and when a galldn and a half was in the tank overflowed. “Mr Evans,” he said, ” pulled out the nozzle, and so the splashing happened. I immediately turned off the tap.” Judgment was given for Goldhawk Garage, Limited, the judge stating that the cause of the overflow was the error which Mr Lambert made in gauging the amount of petrol in the tank.