Pepper Spray, Taser...uh oh.

[Buka]

I didn't know this was possible, albeit under certain circumstances. Never really thought about it.

Suspect bursts into flames after French cops simultaneously taser & tear-gas him (DISTURBING)

 

[granfire]

well, it's oil.....
The hospital won't give you vaseline - petrolium jelly - if you are on oxygen....

 

[Brian King]

Some sprays use an alcohol based aerosol, which in the past has ignited on smokers.
Brian

 

[CB Jones]

I didn't know this was possible, albeit under certain circumstances. Never really thought about it.

Suspect bursts into flames after French cops simultaneously taser & tear-gas him (DISTURBING)

Enlightening video

 

[Gerry Seymour]

You'd think the manufacturers would create a formula that wouldn't be flammable. That'd probably take LE organizations having a policy that requires it, though - customer might have to force the supplier into it. I wonder how often that ignition actually happens.

 

[jobo]

the Uk police were faced with a man who had poured petrol over himself and was threatening to set himself slight.

in order to sav his life, they tasered him, and were amazed when he burst into flames and burn to death, geniuses

 

[CB Jones]

You'd think the manufacturers would create a formula that wouldn't be flammable.

But where would the fun in that be?

 

[hoshin1600]

the clip says tear gas not pepper spray. for those that dont know they are different. tear gas is CS spray. or compound 2- chlorobenzalmalonitrile.. it is composed of white crystal suspended is a medium of sec-butanol. which is alcohol and is flammable. its similar to ethanol.

OC spray is pepper spray. oleum capsicum. which is from a hot red pepper. it is in a medium of propylene glycol.
to confuse things just a bit there is also the original MACE which is CN spray. phenacyl chloride. which is similar to the CS spray.
there is a new "law enforcement" MACE which is pepper spray and some chemical starting with and "O" that i am not going to attempt to spell out.
the bottom line is the clip was from outside the US and God only knows the chemical controlls they have on their stuff. it could have been made in China with gasoline.

 

[jks9199]

Axon (the company formerly known as Taser) includes the warning in its training and official warning documents that the Taser may set off flammable liquids and vapors, and that end-users should confirm that their pepper spray or other similar items are not flammable. The Taser is not recommended for subjects doused in gasoline or other flammable liquids... or in areas where there might flammable vapors. (Probably not a good choice in granaries, flour mills, and similar places either -- they've been known to go KABOOM! with static electricity...)

For pepper spray, specifically, some brands use alcohol carriers (the liquid the oleum capsicum crystals are dissolved and transported in) or flammable propellants. If you're carrying a Taser (or other conducted electricity weapon aka stun gun), you probably want to know what type of carrier your pepper spray uses... Unless, of course, you like assailant jubilee.