Aerosol Tire Inflators and Tire Explosions

Aerosol Inflator Explosion:
The Willis Law Firm performed a tire explosion test in our Knaphus vs. Johnsen's products liability case.

While trying to fix a flat, many tire service workers and others can be blinded, maimed, or even decapitated if the tire explodes. Most of these explosions are from tires that have been previously filled with a can of tire sealant to fix a leak in the tire. The propellant in the tire sealant may be composed of flammable gases, such as butane, propane or isobutane. If an ignition source is present, such as a small spark from removing a nail from the tire tread, the propellant may ignite into a massive explosion.

WARNING: Never, under any circumstances, introduce a flammable substance into a tire. Be sure to inform tire service personnel if you have used any aerosol product to inflate your tire.

Many brands of tire sealant today still contain butane, propane or isobutane as the propellant, which are all flammable and highly explosive. Other companies, either due to safety concerns or competitive reasons, have switched from an explosive propellant to a non-explosive one. The problem is obvious, if a spark or flame comes into contact within the contents of the tire, then an explosion is possible and serious injuries and deaths are likely.

One of the first brands of inflators to fix a flat tire was named Fix-A-Flat®, made by Nationwide Industries. For many years, Fix-A-Flat was the dominant leader in this industry, but due to the flammable ingredients and tire explosions, many consumers were severely injured and maimed by the Fix-A-Flat product. Fix-A-Flat soon had competition, namely from Radiator Specialty Company and their tire repair product Puncture Seal. Other companies such as Johnsen's, Golden Eagle, S.T.P., Chief, C.S.A. Ltd., and others began to produce similar damaged tire inflators and aerosol sealants.

Faced with tougher competition and after numerous lawsuits, Fix-A-Flat finally changed their ingredients and stopped using the explosive mixture. Fix-A-Flat continues to this day to only sell the non-flammable cans of Fix-A-Flat. Through the efforts and litigation of products liability actions, attorney David Willis, has helped force or convince two different companies to stop the sell and distribution of tire inflators that contain flammable gases, such as butane, propane and isobutene.

The Willis Law Firm - Actual Case

The first such case involved a young man, Patrick Cherry of Houston, Texas, who was working at a Chevron gas station when the tire he was trying to fix exploded. The explosion threw him back some 15-20 feet away, causing massive bodily injuries. Mr. Cherry was life-flighted from the gas station and recovered after months of hospitalization and therapy. The ignition source that ignited the flammable gas mixture was the tire reamer he was using to clean the puncture hole in the tire tread. As Mr. Cherry repaired the tire, the tire reamer sparked when it came into contact with a steel belt within the tire. The Willis Law Firm hired engineering and testing labs to duplicate the explosive and deadly force from tire explosion. The following three photographs convey the energy from such a blast.

Tire Explosion Reconstruction:
Engineering and testing labs duplicated the explosive and deadly force from a flammable aerosol tire inflator explosion.

After months of discovery, attorney David Willis obtained a confidential settlement for Mr. Cherry and his family, and the main defendant ceased to manufacture this type of product ever again.

For more information, including pictures and details concerning the Cherry vs. CSA, Ltd. case, see our tire explosion page.

The Willis Law Firm - Actual Case

The next case involved a retired mechanic in San Antonio, Texas helping a neighbor. On a Sunday morning they tried to fix a small pin hole leak in the rim of a mobile home tire. The neighbor had used a can of Puncture Seal, made by Radiator Specialty Company, in the tire in hopes that the slow leak would stop. Mr. Gaconnet inspected the tire and found the pin hole leak in the rim. After deflating the tire, he attempted to weld the pin hole closed. Suddenly, the tire and rim exploded; blinding him in both eyes, maiming his hand and causing a massive loss of hearing. A spark from the weld ignited the flammable mixture of propellant from the Puncture Seal.

The defendants, Radiator Specialty Company, argued that the tire did not explode because of the Puncture Seal, but rather by an over heating of the contents of the air in the tire. At the conclusion of the case, it was announced that Radiator Specialty Company was changing their formula. They would no longer be producing Puncture Seal with flammable gases, such as butane, propane or isobutene, as the propellant for their tire sealant products.

The Willis Law Firm - Actual Case

Another similar case involved a woman from California that had a can of Johnsen's tire sealant stored underneath the seat of her pickup truck. Without her knowledge the can leaked out the butane from a faulty seal around the nozzle of the can. The flammable butane propellant formed a puddle on the floorboard of her car. When she later lit a cigarette, the entire car burst into flames. She suffered numerous 2nd and 3rd degree burns from the flash fire. Her case was settled by Mr. Willis within months after suit was filed for a confidential amount.

Nationwide Tire Explosion Cases

Other tire explosion cases around the nation include injuries such as blindness, brain damage, severe lacerations and even a decapitation. The tire sealants, aerosol tire inflators, and similar products that contain a flammable gas in their propellant mixture should have never been produced and sold to the public.

A flammable and explosive gas should never be introduced into a closed container, such as a tire, where it can stay for days, weeks, months or even years before it has the chance to maim, blind or kill. Most companies have changed their formulas, but a few are still subjecting this tire bomb to unsuspecting consumers. For these companies, punitive or exemplary damages are sought and many times awarded by outraged juries.

We are proud of the work we have done at The Willis Law Firm to help clean up an industry. Mr. Willis is routinely sought as associate or lead counsel by other attorneys on these products liability cases to help in discovery issues. Mr. Willis has been interviewed numerous times by many of the leading tire industry magazines and publications. Mr. Willis has also appeared on many NBC stations in the United States concerning the dangers of these tire sealants in order to help bring this danger to the public.

Tire Defects - Serious Accident and Injury Legal Help

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, maimed, blinded or even killed as a result on one of these tire sealants, or any other flammable or explosive product, and you would like to know what can be done to protect your legal rights, then please fill out our online form by following the link below or call us for a free confidential consultation: Toll Free 1-800-883-9858.

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