2oldman wrote:
It's the fumes which are not hard to ignite.
Exactly right- which in my opinion is most likely what happened here. The flames in the picture posted are obviously burning spilled liquid fuel, but I think original ignition was contact of vapors with the lit pilot flame.
I'm really surprised that turning pilots off at gas stations is in any way controversial- doesn't every gas pump island in North America have a label saying to "extinguish all flames???
I see no difference between a pilot flame and a lit cigarette. Either can ignite the notoriously flammable gasoline vapor.
