The news had a story about two firemen injured putting out a house fire. The fire is said to be accidental: the owner of the house dropped a candle while refueling his gasoline-powered generator in the garage.

I guess that comic was right;

You can't fix stupid.

Wondering if the same home owner uses a match to see if there is any gas in the can? Won't even mention the Carbon Monoxide effects in a garage.

I know a blond joke about that.....;)
but won't tell it for risk of offending somebody.
adventureboy

*face palm*

That is why I own headlamps.

a popular variation on that is refueling a gasoline drive device, and the fumes drift into the propane water heater. I'm told the flashback can be quite impressive. One of those endless, but impossible to not look at, Oh!!! ... sh ... moments. With a slight whummp as the fumes catch and then the sight of the flames casually stroll back to the gasoline can, and/or fuel tank, you left open.

The resulting fireball is somewhat less well documented. Mostly because those who have seen it, and lived, tend to be focused on extended debridement sessions and hoping the latest round of skin grafts takes.

That said I have to say that carrying a candle while pouring gasoline is a fine way of making an otherwise boring life more interesting. Way more reliable than those pesky propane water heaters. Most of those installed in the last fifteen years or so have been raised at least 18" off the floor. Which tends to reduce their entertainment value. Darn inspectors ... always ruining the fun.

Here's the link:
http://www.modbee.com/local/story/992501.html
One firefighter is seriously burned, it turns out. The firefighters can't account for the quick collapse of the roof - unusually high intensity of the fire or structural defect - but it was entirely unexpected. Two men were on the roof ventilating the fire when the roof fell in.

I don't know if it is applicable in this case but the newer engineered I beams, essentially two 2by4s with a piece of 3/8" ply as a web, have been shown to lose strength very rapidly when exposed to a fire. They catch quickly and as soon as the web loses strength, in a very few minutes, they collapse. This rapid failure is robbing fire departments of time they need to rescue people and the option of saving the structure.

They are very efficient use of materials and both fast and cost effective ways to do the job but they need some sort of protection from fire to give the firemen time to do what they do. Kind of an inside baseball building code issue but one which I'm hearing about.

I hope not candle headlamps?

HEHE!

I've seen them

Nah, go with carbide instead.

But seriously: I try to avoid indoor fueling whenever possible. There's just too much that can go very wrong, very fast. I still remember transferring gas/oil mix from one container to another in a garage, and having my cousin march in waving a lit smoke around, totally oblivious ... holy $#@#! Apparently fate gives second chances to fools and teenagers.

"The resulting fireball is somewhat less well documented."

HA!

I am reminded of the scene in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York", where Marvin dunks his flaming head in a toilet filled with solvent, with the resulting flash and smoke curling out of the open windows. What a riot.