Childhood burn injuries related to gasoline can home storage.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the risks associated with home storage of gasoline and to outline prevention strategies to avoid further injury and death.

DESIGN: Case series.

PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five patients less than 6 years old were selected for study (3 by presentation to a tertiary care Children's Hospital Emergency Department, and 22 from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System Data during the same calendar year).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data collected included child's age; burn injury, either percent body surface area or minor, moderate, or major burn classification; mortality; circumstances related to ignition of gasoline, such as behaviors, and if can was opened or closed; and flame source.

RESULTS: Boys were involved in 95% of cases. Mean age was 2.7 years. The source of ignition was a pilot light in 100% of cases. Forty-four percent of patients died. Only vapors were ignited in 56% of cases. The gasoline can was described as closed in 64% of cases.

CONCLUSION: Gasoline is dangerous. The rectangular red metal gasoline can is not safe either. National building codes and can specifications are needed to prevent serious injury and deaths among young children.