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Woman vacuuming gasoline sparks explosion at Titusville car wash

'What are you thinking?' customer says after watching video

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Surveillance cameras at Shuttle Car Wash on Cheney Highway captures a potentially life-threatening situation.

The Titusville car wash owner Billy Barnwell says that at 5 p.m. Monday, an unknown woman vacuumed gasoline from the trunk of her car, causing the vacuum to explode.

"What are you thinking? I think even a child would know not to do that," said car wash customer Cecilia Quinn as News 6 showed her the video.

"It was a heck of an explosion. It just burnt everything up," said Barnwell as he showed News 6 the destroyed vacuum. 

"If you saw the video, you've seen it. It scared the heck out of her."

News 6 showed that same video to customers Wednesday.

They reacted in shock to the woman's decision to vacuum gasoline.

 "Wow, that's not good," laughed Tim Eichorn. "And then she just stands there and watches it."

"Oh jeez, Louise, you're kidding me." gasped Quinn. "She thought she could vacuum up gasoline."

"That's not my wife, by the way," joked Dave Gooden.

The owner said after the explosion the woman drove off.

No one was hurt but the owner and customers watching the video said the decision could have been tragic.

"Thank God, no one was standing over there," said Quinn. "What could have happened, I don't even want to think about it."

 The vacuum will cost $500 to repair.

The woman has not returned to the car wash since.


About the Author
James Sparvero headshot

James joined News 6 in March 2016 as the Brevard County Reporter. His arrival was the realization of a three-year effort to return to the state where his career began. James is from Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

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