Gasoline (UN1203) is a NON-conductive flammable liquid. These liquids, as all liquids, generate static electricity as they flow through hoses, piping, and free fall into tanks and containers. Since the liquid is non-conductive, it can not conduct the static charge to the hose/pipe/container so the charge can be dissipated to the “ground”.
Authorities say quick work by staff helped ease a volatile situation after a fuel tank explosion at the Watertown airport. It happened while a fuel truck was filling a 10,000-gallon gasoline tank, according to Watertown Fire Rescue.
The product being loaded into the fuel storage tank was 100 octane low lead fuel, which is the most common type of avgas used in general aviation. Approximately 500 gallons of fuel were loaded into the tank before the incident.
The fuel truck operator immediately stopped the fueling process while another airport staff member disconnected the power going to the area. When emergency crews arrived, they confirmed there was no active fire and no fuel leaks. They disconnected the fuel hose and helped secure the site. No one was hurt. All in all, only one gallon of fuel was lost. The fuel tank received considerable damage. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
Sources:
https://www.sdpb.org/2025-02-21/no-one-hurt-in-fuel-tank-explosion-at-watertown-airport