Death by Chainsaw

[k0ua]

The guy used the blunt end of the ax... that's pure anger... beating someone to death... Yikes!

As for the chainsaw exploding... it didn't say if it was while he was cutting with it or not, did it? My initial guess would be he may have been refueling it while it was hot, and it blew up. Just a guess, though.

That would be my guess too.

 

[Buxus]

How big a risk is refueling a chainsaw when it is hot? I do it often, but will stop if there is real risk.

 

[goeduck]

How big a risk is refueling a chainsaw when it is hot? I do it often, but will stop if there is real risk.

I don’t know how it could be avoided if you have any amount of wood to cut. I try to prevent overfilling and certainly slopping. I wonder if he did a mod to his saw that was part of the problem.

 

[ericm979]

The ignition temperature of gasoline is about 500 degrees F. You'd need to spill gas on something that could heat it to that temperature or higher to ignite it. The engine cylinder typically does not get that hot. Typical two stroke full throttle EGTs for racing karts and ultralight aircraft are in the 1200-1300 degree range. But that's the exhaust gas near the port, not the external side of the muffler. I can't find any temperatures for the outside of a chainsaw muffler (or any two stroke). It would be significantly lower than that EGT number. A muffler could still be above 500 right after a long cut though.

Saws are small and cool off quickly. If you take a break or go move some wood around for a few minutes then fill up it should be safe to spill gas on the muffler. The fuel tank being at the opposite end of the saw (on modern saws) make it harder to spill gas on the muffler.

Of course if you spill gas all over the saw and start it up without cleaning or drying the gas off there's a chance that there will be a spark that could ignite any remaining fuel.

I could see how if you were running a saw and the tank split or the cap came off you could end up burned.

 

[Deere Dude]

The term explosion by the news media could mean all sorts of things. It could mean a chain flew off and hit the man or what naturally comes to mind is a gas explosion.

I sure can't envision anyone dying from a fire or anything else with a chainsaw by blunt force trauma, but I could see getting whacked or burnt and dying from a heart attack. I am very curious as to the nature of death.

 

[MossRoad]

Firefighter critically burned while refueling chainsaw

 

[smstonypoint]

STIHL Recalls Chain Saws Due to Fire and Burn Hazards | CPSC.gov

MS 461 -- "The fuel line can leak, posing fire and burn hazards."

STIHL recalls 1, chainsaws – Wildfire Today

"STIHL Inc. has received 117 reports of pinched or leaking fuel lines but the company reports they are unaware of any damage or injuries caused by the possible defect.

<snip>


MS 461’s are sometimes used by wildland firefighters for constructing fireline and felling trees. This model has been cited in at least one report of a different problem -- vapor lock that can result in the engine dying. When the operator removes the gas cap to check on the fuel level, occasionally a "fuel geyser" sprays pressurized gas. This has caused serious burn injuries when the fuel ignites."


Steve

 

[kenlip]

I sure can't envision anyone dying from a fire or anything else with a chainsaw by blunt force trauma, but I could see getting whacked or burnt and dying from a heart attack. I am very curious as to the nature of death.

All the news reports i read say he was burnt. None mentioned blunt trauma. For example....

A 68-year-old York County man died early Friday at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township from complications due to burn injuries sustained just after noon Thursday in a chainsaw explosion, the Lehigh County Coroner's Office reports.

David M. Baker of Warrington Township was pronounced dead at 1:41 a.m. Friday after suffering 85 percent full thickness burns, the coroner's office said.

 

[coldsteelva]

That is definitely caused by a vapor explosion of likely an entire container of gasoline in an enclosed environment where the fumes were allowed to concentrate.