Driver Tries To Remove Fuel From Her Car Using A Vacuum – Bad Move

I think the majority of people here will have one day, or will do at some point, fill their car up with the wrong fuel. The right thing to do in this situation is to call break down assistance and they’ll come and pump out your fuel tank, flush it out, then refuel it.

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Yes it can sometimes cost quite a lot, especially if you start your engine with the wrong fuel in the tank, but working with petrol or diesel can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re talking. This lady found out the hard way.

When filling up her diesel-powered VW Passat at a fuel station in Eschborn, Germany, she realised she’d actually filled it with petrol. Luckily, a young passer-by was willing to help out, and together they pushed the German car out of the way of the fuel station next to a vacuum. So far so good, but it quickly started going South when the owner of the car decided to use this vacuum to extract the fuel from her tank.

Using a piece of garden hose and the vacuum to remove the fuel, it quickly became apparent that this wasn’t the right thing to do. The car went up in flames, burning the hand of the young helper in the process.  The vacuum was also destroyed by the strong flames, and luckily the fuel station was unharmed despite its close proximity.

The damage, well, €30,000. That’s a bit more expensive than getting your tank flushed.