title: The ignitability of petrol vapours and potential for vapour phase explosion by use of TASER® law enforcement electronic control device.
abstract: An experimental study was made of the potential of the TASER-X26™ law enforcement electronic control device to ignite petrol vapours if used by an officer to incapacitate a person soaked in petrol, or within a flammable atmosphere containing petrol vapour. Bench scale tests have shown that a wooden mannequin with pig skin covering the chest was a suitable representation of a human target. Full scale tests using the mannequin have shown that the arc from a TASER-X26™ is capable of igniting petrol/air vapours on a petrol-soaked person. Further tests in a 1/5 scale and a full scale compartment have shown that if a TASER is used within a compartment, a petrol vapour explosion (deflagration) may be achieved. It is evident from this research that if used in a flammable vapour rich environment, the device could prove fatal not only to the target but the TASER® operator as well.
authors.affiliation: West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service, United Kingdom. Electronic address: chris.clarke@fireinvestigationsuk.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: School of Forensic & Investigative Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire PR1 2HE, United Kingdom. Electronic address: SPAndrews@uclan.ac.uk.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Andrews
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000209:etiology*; D003020:Clothing; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005107:Explosions; D005742:Gasoline; D006801:Humans; D035846:Law Enforcement; D008348:Manikins; D013552:Swine; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D005742:Gasoline
keywords: Burns; Deflagration; Fatal; Ignition; Petrol; TASER®