The cause is a spark of electricity which ignites the gas fumes around the nozzle.

The mechanism:

• Nearly all the cases were women.

• Most were wearing rubber soled shoes.

• In almost every case, the victim returned to her car while the nozzle was still connected to the car and pumping gas.

• Moving across the front seat creates a static charge which then initiates the gas fumes when pulling out the nozzle.

• The vapors of the gas caught fire in the presence of a spark of static electricity.