Woman inhaling fumes lights a cigarette — and her car explodes, Massachusetts cops say
A woman is suspected of huffing fumes before her car exploded outside a shopping center in Massachusetts, police say.
Fire rescue crews responded at about 3:50 p.m. Saturday, July 22, after a report of an explosion near a Walmart, the Sturbridge Police Department said in a July 25 news release.
They arrived to find a black sedan with all the windows blown out and the doors flung open but still attached, authorities said.
Photos shared online showed shattered glass and debris littering the ground.
Emergency responders treated a woman for minor injuries, but she refused a trip to the hospital for further evaluation, according to the release.
Prior to the blast, investigators said they believe the woman was inhaling “highly flammable” fumes from cans of compressed air in her car with the windows rolled up. That’s when she tried lighting a cigarette, according to police.
“The buildup of these fumes inside the car followed by the attempt to light the cigarette appears to have caused an explosion resulting in the injuries to the female and the damage to the vehicle,” police said in the release.
Authorities also reported damage to cars nearby.
What’s huffing?
Huffing is a form of substance abuse that involves breathing in fumes from aerosols, gases and other substances to get high, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Everyday products such as lighter fluid, glue and felt-tip markers can be misused as inhalants, the institute said.
“Although the high that inhalants produce usually lasts just a few minutes, people often try to make it last by continuing to inhale again and again over several hours,” health experts say.
Health effects — both short-term and long-term — include:
- Dizziness
- Slurred speech
- Hearing loss
- Loss of coordination
- Brain damage
Authorities said the investigation into the explosion is ongoing.
Sturbridge is about 60 miles southwest of Boston.
This story was originally published July 26, 2023 at 3:25 PM with the headline "Woman inhaling fumes lights a cigarette — and her car explodes, Massachusetts cops say."