This question is a little backwards, but...

Background:

In Sep 1979, Sean Branagan, a teenager in Bethlehem, PA, was killed in a gas station accident. The bay doors were closed, he was cleaning the floor with some solvent or gasoline, a compressor kicked on and sparked, and there was an explosion. He expired a few days later, it was ruled an accident by the PA Fire Marshall.

However, just six months earlier, in Mar of 1979, on the day of Three Mile Island, his younger sister, Holly was brutally stabbed to death. Sean had told his father that he was thinking of 'trolling' with the idea that he had information regarding Holly's murder, which still remains unsolved. For that reason, Sean's father and others yet suspect that this wasn't an accident.

Questions:

1] What should an inspector have looked for on the motor as indications that it had been sabotaged to increase the danger of arc flash?

2] Standards are always changing, and they might have been in flux in the 70's, but what code requirements, if any, might have been normally expected for gas station compressor motors in 1979? Nothing special?

3] I haven't seen the incident report or any other detailed information other then the above, but depending on the motor, if someone was inclined, would it take very long for someone to deliberately sabotage a motor in such a manner? Would they need more or less than a minute access to reasonably increase the possibility of 'arc flash'?

I don't intent to create a 'how to' here, just looking for general opinions on the likelihood, possibilities.

This does not describe an arc flash incident.

He created a flammable concentration of vapors by cleaning the floor with gas. The compressor was probably a single phase capacitor start motor of open design. When the motor hit its run speed the centrifical switch opened to drop out the capacitor, and its sparked like it always does and ignited the vapor. This has nothing to do with arc flash.

Thanks

I stumbled here while researching this. I see this has nothing to do with 'Arc Flash', I apologize. It was likely just 'the motor sparked.'

I've since learned it was an electric power washer, not the station air compressor. But, still a 120V electric motor.

What is so odd about the incident is the statement that 'this is the way it was done.' (cleaning gas station floor with gasoline as solvent, broom, electric power washer, with the bay doors closed...)

Thanks for your comments.