The Science behind Flame Jetting

Eight years ago investigators charged a Michigan man with the burning death of his daughter. But the father, who was allegedly pouring diesel fuel onto a fire in a fire pit when his daughter became engulfed in flames, was later proven innocent.

The real killer? Flame jetting. This previously little-known phenomenon has caught forensic investigators' attention during the last decade. 

When it happens, one can see a container of flammable liquid suddenly jetting flame like a blowtorch with proximity to an ignition source. Multiple accidents involving flame jetting happened in classrooms and households, causing serious injuries and even death.

What causes flame jetting? A study by the Fire Research Laboratory at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) suggested the following three factors that are critical: 1) a fuel container should have some headspace in to allow mixing of air and fuel, 2) inside the container the fuel-air mixture needs to be proportionally right, 3) the container should also have an opening that is wide enough to allow vapor to jet.

Source: ACSReaction via Youtube