PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Exploding lighter causes suitcase to catch fire.
Old 15th Apr 2001, 09:32
  #8 (permalink)  
ExSimGuy
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Red face

I posted regarding this on the earlier thread (last November) referred to above, but then couldn't find it again to check on replies - thanks for the URL !

My question referred to the cheap "throwaway lighters" that sell for about 50p in UK and about 20p in the Middle East (thanks Tony ) Are these the same problem/type of lighter as the "freebies"?

Being poor (mean ) I used to take several of these with me when I travelled to UK (in those days they were even dearer in UK) and never considered them a risk - and, yes, the "spares" were usually in my checked bagage.

What causes the lighters to explode? I know that if I leave one in the car under an Arabian Summer sun, it's likely to have burst by the time I come back to it - but what can cause it to ignite?

If these lighters are really a problem, us "self-loaders" don't know about it and need to have it well publicised - before it gets publicised on the front pages when an aicraft and pax are total loss due to an in-flight fire in the hold .

In these days of non-smoking flights, my "fags" and lighter(s) are usually in the overhead locker with my carry-on, so as not to be reminded of them every time I go to my poskets

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What goes around . . .
. . often lands better!

[This message has been edited by ExSimGuy (edited 15 April 2001).]