Laundromat explodes almost killing man after simple washing mistake
Like a scene from a Hollywood movie, a customer's load of washing was caught on camera bursting into flames.
A simple laundry mistake almost cost one man his life after he narrowly escaped a fiery explosion at a laundromat in Spain. Terrifying footage shows the moment a tumble dryer blew the shop to pieces, with Aussies now being warned not to make the same error.
According to reports, the dramatic footage was captured in the port city of A Coruna in March but has been circulating online this week. It shows a man leaving the store with bags of laundry in his hand, but seconds later, a dryer suddenly stops and its door flings open before bursting into a ball of flames.
Shockwaves from the blast caused the shopfront window to blow out, subsequently tearing the laundromat sign off the building. It's been reported a lighter left inside a pant pocket by a customer is what caused the blast.
Aussie urged to always 'check your pockets'
Cigarette lighters are usually filled with butane, which is a highly flammable gas, and when damaged in the right conditions can cause a fire, Superintendent Adam Dewberry from NSW Fire and Rescue told Yahoo News Australia.
"The message is to always check your pockets, not only for the tissues that turn your clothes into a white mess, but more importantly for the modern conveniences such as batteries and lighters," he said. "[These] can do more harm than put fluff all over your clothes".
He also stressed that power banks are becoming "smaller and more convenient to consumers". "It is easy to see how these could be left in pockets during washing and drying cycles," he said.
Battery recharging banks can cause a similar type of explosion, Superintendent Dewberry said. "Lithium-Ion batteries can also ignite if damaged by the tossing and spinning actions of a washing machine or dryer," he explained. "Plus the dryer has added risk with the elevated temperature used to dry the clothes."
Video stuns social media: 'Super lucky'
Commenting on the video on Twitter, some viewers compared the incredible scenes to something from a movie. "Looks like the opening scene to an action movie," one said.
Others couldn't get over how close the man was to getting caught up in the blast. "That guy had a guardian angel looking out for him for real," one said. "Man. Dude was super lucky," wrote another.
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