Well that was dumb...

Cutting up a car with a torch, not paying any attention to anything but the cut, noticed it felt hot, found I'd set my shoestrings on fire.

Working at Sears, a guy pulled in a car for a tune up and left the key on. He knew the first thing I'd do was to walk up, pop the hood, remove the distributor cap and then the rotor. Bam. Ha-ha funny if you weren't me.

Still at Sears, working on a Mustang this time trying to figure out why it wouldn't start. Had the dist cap off for some reason or another. Decided to check it if had jumped time so I pulled #1 plug and bumped it over with a starter switch to find TDC. Fumes built up in the engine compartment, the distributor sparked, and a fireball hit the ceiling. I learned to always check the floor underneath a car when trying to put out an engine fire.

At an Exxon station, an older GM comes in for an alternator belt. I loosen up the bolts and the alternator drops free. It had the wrong alternator on it so the battery stud met the engine block. You could see the fire run up the wiring harness until I got the battery disconnected.

I only remember hurting myself once worth mentioning, this time at a Gulf station. I had a late 70's Vette up on a rack doing a safety inspection so I had the tires off. Those things came with monster sized tires, even though they were barely able to spin them. I ruptured a hemorrhoid lifting one of the back tires to put it back on. I was only 18 - I guess I was an early achiever.