I Hate the Smell of Burning Hair, Especially My Own

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Last summer the gas company put a new meter on our house. They of course shut off the gas. So the next day they came in to re-light all our pilot lights. Well we only have one to light, the water heater. The furnace's thermal coupling hasn't worked in a couple of years. It isn't used anyway except when it gets extremely cold and I fear the pipes will freeze, which is only about 10 days out of the winter. When it's needed I go downstairs and light the furnace manually. Otherwise we use electric heaters. Ok so the guy from the gas company asked me about the furnace and I told him that we don't use it. He tested it for gas leaks, no leaks. Then he proceeded to shut off the gas line! I didn't want him to do that but I also didn't want him to refuse to turn the gas back on because of a defective furnace so I kept my mouth shut. I knew that would come back to bite me on the butt. I woke up early this morning and MAN is was COLD, only 5 degrees outside!! I figured I better go light the furnace to keep the basement pipes from freezing. I turned the gas line back on. Knowing that there would be air in the line I turned the manual switch on and let the air out of line til I smelled gas, then shut it off. I waited a minute for the gas to dissipate. I lit a long wood stick turned the switch on and lit it like I always do. Next thing I know there is a wooosh and a 3 ft tall fireball in my face! Uggh I hate the smell of burning hair. Thank goodness I had my glasses on and my hair pulled back. But it singed my eyebrows a bit and the peachfuzz hair on my face and neck. I have no hair at all on my left hand or wrist. I also feel like I have a sunburn on my hand and my face. Nothing serious just a minor flash burn. It could have a lot worse. Now if I had had my second cup of coffee this morning I would have realized that because of how this old furnace (30 yrs old) is built and where it sits I actually needed to fan the area to dissipate the gas. But NOOOOO I was cold and in a hurry. I don't make a habit of being an idiot but I qualified this morning! So go ahead... say it. Ever have a furnace blow up in your face?