4x4 Fire
Submitted: Saturday, Apr 07, 2007 at 21:45
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Member - Hughesy (NSW)
Down at the Shopping centre this morning, busy as hell and had to
park in the far corner. Getting the baby out of the car and the 5 yo goes look at the fire daddy. I turn around to see flames coming out of the canopy of a Triton ute. I'm in the family car so no fire extinquisher I start ringing 000 as another couple of guys pull up and hit it with DCP extinquishers. I can hear a hissing noise (flame extinquished) so move the family on as the number of spectators increases.
Anyway I come out probably an hour later (to unload what the missus has already bought) and the car is still there and everyone has gone. I had a look in (hissing had stopped) and can see a fridge (couldn't pick make, but it looked old) and a gas bottle beside it so I reckon it was a 3-way. All the fridge, gas leads, and everything else in that corner of the tray was melted. Looked like they were travelling/holidaying by the gear in the back.
Saw them drive off another hour or so later as we were (finally) heading home. They'd bought a cheap tarp to cover the corner that had been burnt. Very lucky people had those extinquishers handy or the vehicle and those beside it probably would have gone up before the firies got there.
Would have dinted the owners
easter holiday anyway.
Stay safe forumites!!!!
"Learn from the mistakes of others cause you won't live long enough to learn from your own"
Reply By: Member - Doug T (W.A) - Saturday, Apr 07, 2007 at 21:57
Saturday, Apr 07, 2007 at 21:57
I live in a Caravan , have a 2 way fridge, Gas/240v I have never used the gas , even when I move all day stuff stays cold , have no need for gas really , just for cooking stove only , Gas is too dangerous ,
AnswerID:
232191
Reply By: Member - Brian H (QLD) - Saturday, Apr 07, 2007 at 22:48
Saturday, Apr 07, 2007 at 22:48
Gas is safe enough if used correctly and equipment is maintained. Maybe a guess but I wonder if they had the fridge on gas while they went shopping IE the flame?
This of course would not be a smart idea.
Brian
AnswerID:
232204
Reply By: Motherhen - Saturday, Apr 07, 2007 at 23:42
Saturday, Apr 07, 2007 at 23:42
Like Doug - i won't use a fridge on gas - i have seen very rapid destruction of a caravan, and knew also of tragic loss of life.
We also had a fire in a Landcruiser, from an electrical fault under the dashboard. The vehicle was saved by the
young passers-by who stopped (as everyone else dashed past the car with flames rising without stopping to help), and they sacrificed their beer and soft drinks - best fire extinguisher.
AnswerID:
232205
Follow Up By: Member - Brian H (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 08:59
Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 08:59
Gas is safe to use and I stick by that. BUT faulty fittings, people messing with thier stoves and fridges, faulty gas lines, gas lines not being tightned and they leak, there are many others, if gas leaks, not so damn nice cause once it ignites you have serious issues. I check my gas lines and gear every time before I go away as I do my BBQ at home. If the gas lines are weathered, or the O rings are cracked I get new ones. As with anything a little care and maintenance will save you $$$ in the end.
As for the Landcruiser that can happen to any vehicle and it does regularly.
Of course in the end people will use what they are happy and feel safe to use :)
As for extinquishers I have one now and will be getting another to carry on the passenger side and this will be in addition to the one in my tray which is a 9 litre pressure spray.
Brian
FollowupID:
493144
Reply By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 01:59
Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 01:59
Sorry Hugh
But would'nt you think the "family car so no fire extinquisher" is the one to have the fire extinquisher?
Richard
AnswerID:
232214
Follow Up By: Member - Hughesy (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 07:30
Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 07:30
To a degree your right. And for the sake of $30 I will go and buy one. However typically a totally stock 2004 Falcon has got very little chance of just catching on fire and if it did I'm not going to be 100's of kms from no where.....simply step out and watch it burn.
On the other hand with our 4x4's we all do our own electrical mods, we go thru long dry grass, have all sorts of flammables stored in or on the vehicle, and can very often be in the middle of no-where and totally dependant on your vehicle. That is when you most need one.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 08:00
Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 08:00
I would guess that people usually get to use an extinguisher on 'other peoples' vehicles and not their own. If you do have an extinguisher then sods law will probably have the
seat of the fire in the area that you keep the extinguisher so we just grab what we can and retreat. It will most likely be other people who can grab their extinguisher and come and help. I carry extinguishers in all vehicles with the expectation that I will help others and hope that they will reciprocate.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Brian H (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 08:37
Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 08:37
LOL Kiwi If i ever have to use my extinguisher i want it to be on someone elses vehicle and thats a fact. :) :) not that i want anyones car to burn just don't want
mine.
Brian
FollowupID:
493140
Reply By: shade10 - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 19:26
Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 19:26
Fire it is the most dangerous thing in any car, i saw one go up in flames real quickly, like 15 seconds, one night and the only thing i could do with a car up my bum was ring 000 with my hands free and inform the fire department. I almost set fire to my daewoo lanos because i wasnt carefull enough with my rewire job of my lower bar lights, so let this be a lesson to everyone, stupidity and carelessness KILLS, bewise and dont take short cuts because it will come back and bite you when you least expect it.
AnswerID:
232290
Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:14
Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:14
I wonder if the canopy was vented to stop gas build up?
Common problem in boats too.
LPG is heavier than air and settles to the bottom.
One spark and it goes very quickly.
At least caravans have to be vented, so helps to minimise the risk.
Suppose one reason I always try and carry any gas cylinders on the outside of the vehicle, and run my fridge off 12 volt.
Live and learn.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 10:34
Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 10:34
I wouldnt run it on gas in a canopy anyways
FollowupID:
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