This is why when changing a gas fuel filter I:

-Do it with tank WAY empty (maybe 1-2 gallons left at the most)
-Depressurize the system at the engine end first before touching rear assembly
-Multiple fire extinguishers
-ALLways outdoors away from any buildings
-Hose pinch clamps on all lines leading to the system.


I suppose going a step further, spritz things with water before hand to make SUPER sure of no static, or wear a PC tech ground strap.

If a tank on a W126 gasser is full, that's around 2.7 MILLION BTU of heat energy sitting in that tank. Enough to heat a moderate size home in a cold climate for a week or more!
Yikes!

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This happened several years ago. I just happen to find the pics on my computer. Since then garage was rebuilt, vehicles were replaced. I don't know what the final verdict was from the fire marshall but now I'm curious to find out. All I know is the boyfriend of my friend's daughter was working on the car in the garage. Fuel filter change or something to do with the fuel tank toward the back of the car. Yes, the rear wheels were up on ramps. He mentioned a static charge ignited some fuel vapors. If static was not the cause, who knows? Could have been a faulty trouble light, bad electrical cord, maybe garage heater?

BTW, the ramps were metal. The metal got so hot the ramps lost their structural integrity.

For an ESD to ignite fuel vapor, the vapor has to be between the upper and lower explosive limits. Gasoline is volatile enough that it rapidly exceeds the upper explosive limit in any kind of closed environment except in very cold conditions. In open environments, the vapor usually dissipates quickly enough to generally keep it below the lower explosive limit, except for very small areas. The guy was either very unlucky, or something else happened.

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One small correction to Jim B's note about the fuel filters on the SE/SEL/SEC's, Gen I's have one filter and one fuel pump. Gen II's have One fuel filter and two Fuel Pumps.

I am guessing that maybe the battery cables were not removed and possibly the two or 4 Fuel pump wires may have shorted.

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No one was injured, correct? This is sad to see (it could honestly happen to anyone - when working around fuel one must be EXTREMELY cautious) and I hope the owner of the property is able to recover their losses. It is a good lesson to all of us work work on our own cars, to be careful when working around gasoline.

Have my own gas story, thankfully not nearly as bad as this one. A couple of summers ago I was doing the same job (changing the SINGLE fuel filter on my 560SEC) in my own garage shop, with my head tilted to the side, when I got a nice shot of gas straight from a fuel line down into my ear canal. Immediate pain. Intense pain.

I was so unhinged & incapacitated that I could not walk, but I managed to crawl the 40 feet from the garage to my backyard swimming pool, where I laid down on the pool deck with my head under water for a full 10 minutes to flush it out. Then went into the kitchen (stumbling, but now on my feet at least) to flush it out more. Ear was in decreasing pain for the next 5-6 days. It's similar-level pain as getting kicked in the 'nads.


I must correct this misinformation, despite the regrettable content of this thread.

The late gasoline W126 models with M116 and M117 engines only have a single fuel filter, located directly above the dual fuel pumps in the rear. There is also a separate, cylindrical fuel accumulator also as part of the bundle of fuel-related equipment in this area of the car.

Please post CORRECT technical information in the future.

Cheers,
Gerry

We recently replaced the fuel pumps, filter, accumulator and hoses in my 190E 2.6 and I was scared this kind of thing might happen. It was also mid-summer when we did the job, the car was leaking fuel on the plastic fuel pump cover by the left rear wheel.

Sorry to hear, glad nobody was hurt!

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Minor correction, they have two fuel pumps, but one filter. That's a horrible freak accident.

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Al

Talking on the ol' cell phone while working?

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Most battery powered things are not explosion proof.

Interesting,
I can't make up my mind as to the cause of the fire.
All the debris lying around seems to have burned an older wood garage to the ground. And, yes I see the Ramps too. Also, the blue car in the background got hit.
In a weather condition as such, a nearby lightning strike could come to mind, but it would have to be really nearby. Likely, it could have been a Human error.

CAUTION: As we all know, I hope, a fuel to air mixture at the ratio of 14.7:1 is the most combustion happy. Therefore, a fuel tank that is near empty, might as well meet this condition (another reason to have a working purge valve) and is actually more dangerous as a full tank. The fuel auto ignition temperature is between 246 - 280 C or 475 - 536 F while fuel mixed with air, has a much lower flash point temperature, which depends on it's ratio and the amount of O2 etc. of course.

One can overdo it, by grounding the chassis to a metal water pipe or so, before starting to exchange the filter. In my opinion, it is essential to disconnect the battery whenever work is done, that involves fuel. Grounding would add safety to the process, but I think is not necessary.
Also, keep in mind that your vehicle can charge to several thousand volts on a long drive in dry, dusty condition. Guess, many of us have experience that jolt (ESD) while locking the doors after a long drive.

Also, a non insulated wire, shorted out to the chassis, causing a little tiny ark near the fuel saturated area and your car and perhaps you, are history.
That's the other mystery, a blast like this, we don't know, but anyone that was working there, would be toasted, unless dripping fuel got ignited and a slow burn started to further evolve into that blast. I am using toasted loosely and no disrespect to the person that might have gotten hurt in the blast.

These are my two cents!

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Cheers,
Norbert

You might have that ratio backwards?