This paper reports the results of experiments done to examine the explosibility of pulverized fuel dusts (two different coals and petroleum coke) and their waste products (bottom and fly ashes). Tests were conducted for the fuel dusts alone and also blended with other fuels and ashes. The explosion parameters of interest were maximum pressure and rate of pressure rise, and ignition energy and temperature. Petroleum coke was found to present a lesser explosion hazard than the coals. Admixture of either coal or petroleum coke with fly ash resulted in explosible mixtures at volatile contents dependent on the composition of the mixture components and their particle sizes. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.