"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message
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But isn't that a temperature-controlled thing? AFAIK, the pilot light
heats a sensor that signals thats it's OK to let the gas flow. If the
pilot light goes out, the sensor stays warm enough for a little while to
allow a small amount of gas to flow.

That sensor is called a thermocouple and it should be in the pilot light's
flame all the time. They do fail and are easily replacable.