Static electricity--source of ignition

[Nimrod]

How often is static electricity the cause of fire?

In presence of flammable vapours or finely divided dusts I understand the risk is indeed great but I wonder if fire investigators have found other instances where a static discharge was the root cause of fire?

I read a report of an interesting case in Australia http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4252692.stm where a static discharge from a person caused a major incident that involved the attendance of a firefighters. (I wonder if this was in fact an urban myth?)

So does static electricity represent a much wider fire risk? Should people be worried?

It would be very interesting to hear the views and experiences of forum members.

N.

[Mr. P]

I attended a fire at a plastics factory.  Despite having earthing straps (equipment & personal) when a mould was opened, static arced across the worktop, onto the floor and flam vapours ignited. All personnel got out but the firespread very rapidly despite use of extinguishers by employees, throughout that wing of the premises involving drums of chemicals and a gas powered forklift. The static arcing is apparently common in that process, but maybe a culmination of other factors, this time, ended with ignition.

[Nimrod]

Mr P

Thank you for sharing your experience. Much appreciated. Apparently there are two kinds of static. The first is the surface type whose build-up can be prevented by the bonding and earth straps. The second type is accumulated by certain materials and can take sometime to arrive at the surface and be 'drained' away. Apparently in such cases you have to allow the material to rest or relax for sometime. Scary stuff.

Apparently chemicals such as Naphtha and Toluene are prone to this type of static.

Again thanks for taking the time to respond.

Best wishes

Nimrod