# Tool Talk > Wheels >  The Blaster: anti-carjacking flamethrower

## Jon

The Blaster was an anti-carjacking flamethrower, invented in South Africa.

In the early '90s, South Africa's capital, Johannesburg, was plagued by urban blight. Thousands of poor people flooded the city, as well as immigrants from war-torn African nations. Buildings were abandoned, and corporations moved their offices out of the city. In 1998, Johannesburg was the murder, assault, rape, and carjacking capital of the world.

Enter Charl Fourie, a South African inventor. Fourie invented a flamethrower that was installed along the sides of a vehicle, under the doors. If a vehicle was carjacked, the driver could activate the flamethrower, shooting 15-foot walls of flame up into the faces of carjackers. This was perfectly legal; South Africa is fairly permissive in the allowed use of lethal force in an act of self-defense, and civilian flamethrower ownership is allowed. Besides, argued Fourie, the Blaster was not designed to kill anyone, just to severely blind them.




Fourie's invention wasn't successful. Though legal, it was prohibitively expensive. Only a few hundred units had been sold, many of which are still installed today. Fourie then switched to marketing a personal flamethrower.

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dubbby (Apr 8, 2020),

PJs (Dec 5, 2016),

rendoman (Dec 11, 2016)

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## oldgoat

Someone in S.Africa designed something along similar lines. A piston was installed under the vehicle on each side. The piston propelled a steel bar out from the underside of the vehicle, thus breaking a would-be carjacker's leg(s). Doubt you would get away with it in this country.

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PJs (Dec 5, 2016)

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## georgieboytraveler2

Sorry I don't post on here as I'm too old to come up some good ideas = just really enjoy seeing the younger folks coming up with some great ideas, some of which are outstanding!

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Captn Roy (Dec 6, 2019)

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## kittsage

Guards at the gates to factories and complexes have to verify who is entering their facility. They were the ones who ended up in a blast of flame thanks to the nervousness and somewhat racist panic mentality of the drivers. It shoots liquid propane gas out ignited by a spark, it can penetrate clothing, causing severe burns.




> The Blaster was an anti-carjacking flamethrower, invented in South Africa.
> 
> In the early '90s, South Africa's capital, Johannesburg, was plagued by urban blight. Thousands of poor people flooded the city, as well as immigrants from war-torn African nations. Buildings were abandoned, and corporations moved their offices out of the city. In 1998, Johannesburg was the murder, assault, rape, and carjacking capital of the world.
> 
> Enter Charl Fourie, a South African inventor. Fourie invented a flamethrower that was installed along the sides of a vehicle, under the doors. If a vehicle was carjacked, the driver could activate the flamethrower, shooting 15-foot walls of flame up into the faces of carjackers. This was perfectly legal; South Africa is fairly permissive in the allowed use of lethal force in an act of self-defense, and civilian flamethrower ownership is allowed. Besides, argued Fourie, the Blaster was not designed to kill anyone, just to severely blind them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Fourie's invention wasn't successful. Though legal, it was prohibitively expensive. Only a few hundred units had been sold, many of which are still installed today. Fourie then switched to marketing a personal flamethrower.

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## Saxon Violence

Friends,
If you're talking about permanent blinding—that is a fate far WORSE than mere death. I hold no brief for highjackers, but don't tell me that you're being merciful when you're being fiendish…

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## Jon

A recent example of the crime problem that encourages people to invent things like anti-carjacking flamethrowers. 1:35 video:

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## Frank S

Guns or no guns Hey let's get out of here this B**ch is crazy run for your lives.
Not such an easy mark after all too bad she wasn't able to run them down or seriously injure a couple of them.

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## funforall 69

Yeah, I also think she shoulda run them down; the vehicle they were in was probably stolen. If they were laying squashed on the pavement, at least the cops would have a way to identify them.

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## WmRMeyers

Personally, I think she's a hero. And maybe those folks will find some other less dangerous way to make a living. 

Bill

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