Settlement reached in gas pump blaze

Kim Smith

Tuesday, July 30, 2002 | 9:22 a.m.

A partial settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed by the parents of a 12-year-old girl badly burned while pumping gasoline three years ago.

Attorney Donald Campbell confirmed Monday that Exxon Mobil Corp. and the Canfora family have reached a settlement, the terms of which are confidential.

Campbell, who represents the Canfora family, would not confirm reports that General Motors had also agreed to a settlement, but said a third defendant, Husky Corp., is still scheduled to go to trial next week.

Margaret Sanner, an attorney for GM, said she wasn't at liberty to discuss the case, and Exxon attorneys could not be reached for comment.

According to court documents, Alexis Canfora suffered second and third-degree burns over 50 percent of her body when she became engulfed in flames while pumping gas into her parents' Camaro at a Henderson convenience store in March 1999.

The girl's father, Alex, suffered second-degree burns to his hands and arms when he went to her assistance. A bystander used a fireproof sun shield from his car to wrap the girl and extinguish the flames.

Campbell filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Canforas against Exxon, GM and the gas pump manufacturer, Husky, in April 2000.

The lawsuit alleges that upholstered seats in the Camaro created an electrostatic charge when Alexis slid across the seats to get out of the car.

In addition, the Canforas allege that the emergency fuel shut-off valve located on an outside wall of the convenience store was locked shut and the store clerk couldn't see the gas pumps because of electronic gaming machines and other obstacles.

Moreover, the Canforas allege "the shape of the pocket assembly around the fill-tube to the Camaro's fuel tank allowed fuel vapors to accumulate" and the nozzle itself "was designed and manufactured with characteristics that rendered it unsafe for normal and forseeable uses."