[jwpjr]

re: Do they teach english in journalism school?

Forget English, how about good old fashioned science? A cigarette will not ignite propane or gas or kerosene. It takes an open flame or spark, not just the glowing end of a cigarette. My dad used to manage a gas station, that's what they were in the 50's when he had his, and he would bet people $5 that they could not ignite gas in the bottom of a bucket using nothing but the cigarette they were smoking. He never had to pay off on that bet. In this case I would sooner think a spark caused by the dome light coming on and going off would have caused it.

[houeto]

A cigarette will not ignite propane or gas or kerosene.

But, a lit cigarette will, most assuredly, ignite propane vapors.

[adaven]

Forget English, how about good old fashioned science? A cigarette will not ignite propane or gas or kerosene. It takes an open flame or spark, not just the glowing end of a cigarette. My dad used to manage a gas station, that's what they were in the 50's when he had his, and he would bet people $5 that they could not ignite gas in the bottom of a bucket using nothing but the cigarette they were smoking. He never had to pay off on that bet. In this case I would sooner think a spark caused by the dome light coming on and going off would have caused it.

My friend's dad used to clean engine parts by soaking them in a bucket of gasoline. I remember him flicking his lit cigarette butts into the bucket to give us a scare. Never did ignite the gas.

[Clay Moore]

Any flammable gas or liquid has what are called flammable limits. Too rich or lean and it will not ignite. Find the right mixture and that cigarette will ignite it. The bucket was too rich and luckily, they got it through the middle.

[wideminded]

My dad used to manage a gas station, that's what they were in the 50's when he had his, and he would bet people $5 that they could not ignite gas in the bottom of a bucket using nothing but the cigarette they were smoking.

I have heard that if one throws a lighted match into a cold can of gasoline, it will go out and sink to the bottom. It someone tries the same trick with a with a hot can of gas, it will be the last match that they throw. So maybe the temperatures of both the cigarette and the gas are part of the trick.