SAN ANTONIO – Wild anecdotes of people filling unsafe containers full of gasoline are swirling amid the gas panic fueled by Hurricane Harvey.
A picture spreading fast on social media depicts a man standing on the bumper of a pickup truck while filling trash cans full of gasoline.
"We got an odd complaint of someone using Texas' preferred iced tea container and had several of those with gasoline in them," San Antonio fire spokesman Woody Woodward said.
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The San Antonio Fire Department has also had complaints of people storing gasoline in paint cans.
"There's just so many things that can go wrong," Woodward said.
SAFD advises that gas only be stored in containers approved for flammable liquids, only store the amount you need and preferably keep the storage container in a shed or other storage area outside the home.
The dangers of hoarding a flammable liquid are obvious, added Woodward, citing hazardous vapors, fire dangers and leaks.
Storing gasoline in a container not approved for the liquid could cause the container to corrode or become corrupted, and the gas could leak.
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"If you have to store something in your garage, make sure that quantity is very small," Woodward said. "Try to keep it up high, and again as far away from any sort of flame that you can."
Even if you're running on empty, safety should never be at a premium.
"Let's just use common sense here, and not be doing crazy things we don't need to do, when really there is not a gas shortage but really just a lot of panic," Woodward said.
