The explosion near Puyang gas station injured five people. Can playing with mobile phones at gas stations really cause explosions?

An explosion occurred near the convenience store of Sinopec gas station in Chengguan Town, Puyang County, Henan Province. The network transmission accident was caused by gas station customers scanning the code with their mobile phones, and "four people died" in the accident. After investigation, the above statement is a rumor, and the rumor maker has been administratively detained. On July 18, an explosion occurred at the Sinopec gas station at the intersection of Yumin Road and Guoqing Road in Puyang County, Henan Province. Subsequently, an 8-second video of the accident scene was widely spread on the Internet. As can be seen from the video, the scene of the explosion was a mess, some vehicles were damaged and some injured people left the scene one after another. According to reports, this accident was caused by the customer scanning the code to refuel in hot weather, which directly caused four deaths.

On the same day, the Puyang County Government Emergency Office issued an announcement. According to the announcement, five people were scratched or burned by broken glass in the explosion accident and were quickly taken to hospital for treatment. "There is no danger to life." According to the expert investigation organized by Puyang County Safety Committee, Puyang County Government released the accident report again on July 19. The accident was caused by the rupture of the natural gas pipeline in this city during the construction of sewage pipeline, which led to the leakage and flash explosion of natural gas, which had nothing to do with the normal production and operation of gas stations. At present, the local public security and online information departments have verified the rumor and arrested a rumour maker and detained him for three days.

It may cause an explosion. This sounds sensational, but the theoretical explanation is quite reasonable: mobile phone is a kind of wireless communication equipment, which emits radio waves during communication, that is, radio frequency electromagnetic radiation, which can make the antenna receiving radio waves generate radio frequency waves. When radio waves circulate between metal conductors of mobile phones, they will generate radio frequency sparks to prevent corrosion or poor contact. If the mobile phone is dialed out, the radio frequency wave power emitted by the antenna is the largest when it is connected. Radio waves will ionize the air around the mobile phone, and the ionized air will produce a discharge phenomenon, which is an electric spark.

Whether it is radio frequency spark or electric spark, it is possible to detonate the air containing gasoline around it, causing an explosion. So when the phone presses the switch, it will produce a slight spark. Some old mobile phone lines are aging, and sparks may appear during use. If there was a considerable concentration of combustible gas in the air at that time, an explosion might occur.