Gulf Refining Co. v. Williams

Williams (plaintiff) was severely burned when a gasoline drum supplied by Gulf Refining (defendant) ignited upon opening; a Gulf employee had noted that nine years of repeated hammering had left the drum-cap threads bent and jagged, and the jury found this damaged condition caused a spark that ignited the gas, awarding Williams damages. Gulf Refining appealed, arguing the explosion was too unlikely and unprecedented to have been anticipated, precluding a finding of negligence.