Thanksgiving Day Car Fire

spearfish25 · 11-27-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

Wow that really sucks! How bad was the damage to the garage?

I agree that it was either PS or a fuel leak. The flashpoint of engine oil is well north of 400F, and the exhaust headers cool to below 400F pretty quickly after parking. The flashpoint of modern PS fluid is also above 400F but the old mineral type stuff can ignite at a much lower temperature especially as it ages.

I always keep a few large fire extinguishers around, garage, kitchen, basement, and upstairs closet. But given how far this had progressed by the time you found it I'm not sure you would have even be able to use them. Although I'm rather amazed that a couple of the firefighters didn't try that while the others were fiddling about with the water hoses.

I never knew power steering fluid could be a culprit. Another guy we spoke with felt pretty strongly it was fuel related. I think my bro replaced a lot of hoses about 5-6 years ago, but rubber lines can surely break down in that time with an unused, stored car.

I too was amazed that none of the firemen really did anything to temporize things while they were sorting out the water issues. The trucks arrived about 20 minutes after our 911 call, but a fire chief rolled in only 10 minutes after the call. Despite the fire being rather small when he arrived, he didn't even come evaluate things or bring an extinguisher. He just sat in his SUV about 4 houses away while he got dressed until the trucks arrived. I was a bit perplexed, but who knows. Maybe he knew that a fire extinguisher wouldn't do much, even when he first arrived.

frost · 11-27-2009, 02:16 PM

Any before pics of the car?

Trips · 11-27-2009, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcarretti

Thank God no one was injured! So sorry to hear this man, that is a terrible way to spend Thanksgiving.

theDreamer · 11-27-2009, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frost

Any before pics of the car?

Did not see you say before pics....

spearfish25 · 11-27-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frost

Any before pics of the car?

My brother is looking for some...he has them stashed away someplace.

The pic below is essentially identical except our car had mirrored t-tops. I think due to the scarcity of original t-tops, the mirrored t-tops alone were worth nearly as much as the 'complete' car.

Mike · 11-28-2009, 10:04 AM

that really stinks. I'm glad noone was hurt.

fullmonty · 11-28-2009, 10:13 AM

I take it the Fire Dept is volunteer based on the 20 minute response time? Which isn't that great but acceptable. Figure 2 minutes to be dispatched, 5 to get guys to the station, 3 to get the truck out the door and 10 minutes to get on scene. The cheif really couldn't do anything with an extingusher, as it was really to far gone at that point but he alone would not be allowed to enter the garage alone. For every 2 people you have inside you should have 2 people outside, ready to back your interior crew up. I'm not sure what they were doing with the hoses but the first engine should of pulled a line and started to use their tank water and then another engine tap the hydrant and pull line to establish a water supply for the first in engine. Ideally that should of happened. But nothing ever goes the way you want it to on a fire. Sorry if no one cares, and I really don't wana play monday morning quaterback since I wasn't there to watch.

bigaudiofanat · 11-28-2009, 10:19 AM

Sorry to hear that man, I hope everything worked out for you.

SGTseanzie · 11-28-2009, 10:37 AM

You really need to pick up that towel in your driveway... just sayin :-)

Im just kidding.

Im just glad no one got hurt! A few lost possessions are much preferred to a lost life.

11-28-2009, 10:04 AM	#21 (permalink)
Mike The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Loganville, GA Posts: 5,944 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 2186	that really stinks. I'm glad noone was hurt. __________________ NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

11-28-2009, 10:19 AM	#23 (permalink)
bigaudiofanat Car Audio Installer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Magnolia DE Posts: 8,342 Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x Rep Power: 853	Sorry to hear that man, I hope everything worked out for you. __________________ Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/

11-28-2009, 10:37 AM	#24 (permalink)
SGTseanzie Base Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 176 Drives: Nada Rep Power: 16	You really need to pick up that towel in your driveway... just sayin :-) Im just kidding. Im just glad no one got hurt! A few lost possessions are much preferred to a lost life. __________________ --"If you want peace, prepare for war." -Flavius Vegetius Renatus

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11-27-2009, 02:16 PM	#17 (permalink)
frost Retired admin Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Winterfell Posts: 106,613 Drives: Your Wife Crazy Rep Power: 0	Any before pics of the car?

11-28-2009, 10:13 AM	#22 (permalink)
fullmonty A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Dirty Jersey Posts: 7,762 Drives: 370 Touring/Sport Rep Power: 34	I take it the Fire Dept is volunteer based on the 20 minute response time? Which isn't that great but acceptable. Figure 2 minutes to be dispatched, 5 to get guys to the station, 3 to get the truck out the door and 10 minutes to get on scene. The cheif really couldn't do anything with an extingusher, as it was really to far gone at that point but he alone would not be allowed to enter the garage alone. For every 2 people you have inside you should have 2 people outside, ready to back your interior crew up. I'm not sure what they were doing with the hoses but the first engine should of pulled a line and started to use their tank water and then another engine tap the hydrant and pull line to establish a water supply for the first in engine. Ideally that should of happened. But nothing ever goes the way you want it to on a fire. Sorry if no one cares, and I really don't wana play monday morning quaterback since I wasn't there to watch.