Filling maximum volume of fuel won’t cause explosions: LIOC

While refuting reports on social media, the Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) said there need not be any fears of explosions due to petrol being kept filled to full tank capacity in vehicles due to the rise in atmospheric temperature in the coming days.

The relevant report states, "The temperature is set to rise in the coming days, so do not fill the petrol in your vehicle to the maximum limit. This can cause an explosion in the fuel tank. Please fill half the tank of fuel in your vehicle and keep room for air."

The statement also claimed that five explosions had occurred as a result of the overfilling of fuel tanks.

"Please open the fuel tank once a day and let the gas that has built up inside come out," it adds

The sender of the post requests readers to pass this message among family members and others so that people can avoid this accident. 

Meanwhile, LIOC issued a notice saying the rumor spreading on social media is false.

While disowning the statement, Indian Oil issued a notice as follows:

"Automobile manufacturers design their vehicles considering all aspects of performance requirements, claims and ambient conditions with built-in safety factors. The maximum volume specified in the fuel tank for petrol and diesel vehicles is no exception. It is, therefore, perfectly safe to fill the fuel in vehicles up to the full limit (max.) as specified by the manufacturer, regardless of whether it is winter or summer." (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)