car fire: best response?

[Tugela]

On my way home from a road trip over the holiday I witnessed some dramatic automotive pyrotechnics. Checking into a hotel in downtown Portland I walked into a scene of mayhem. On the far side of the parking lot flames were shooting out of the engine compartment of a Ford F-150 pickup. A bunch of people were running around frantically. A hotel employee told me he'd given the owner two wall-mounted fire extinguishers (ten pounders, by the looks of them) to blast the fire with but they had no effect.

Within seconds the fire had grown to the point where it seemed dangerous to approach, so I kept my distance and watched the flames spread. Tires exploded, stuff inside the engine compartment exploded, the cars next to the truck were getting toasted.

The emergency response was huge. 4 fire trucks, several police cars. I didn't see how the fire fighters extinguished the blaze but they put it out fast. Thankfully nobody was hurt.

This got me thinking. If a couple of ten-pound fire extinguishers can't put out a moderate engine compartment fire then the 5-pounder I keep in my Disco probably isn't going to do much if I need it. I was surprised by how fast the fire grew and spread, but who knows if there was a fuel leak or something to encourage it. Knowing how much grease and oil is coating surfaces in my engine compartment I'm sure there is plenty of combustible material to catch if a fire does start in there.

So what is the best way to prevent and fight a car fire? What's the best kind of extinguisher to carry?

 

[fishEH]

I'm going to guess a fair amount of time had passed from when the the fire was noticed till when the extinguishers were discharged. Probably too much, and the the fire was too much for the two extinguishers. Or the extinguishers were discharged improperly; too far away, too high, etc.
If you catch the fire in your truck quick enough the 5lber you carry should be sufficient I think.

 

[Yup_I_Eat_Crayons]

I caught one of my Fiats on fire once (fuel leak), and my five pounder worked fine. Put it out quickly, and effectively. The fire wasn't that large though, but I feel like I could've handled a much larger situation if need be with it.

 

[KyleT]

drive it into a lake, that way you are certain it will be totalled.

in reality, a car goes up super fast. those little dry chem bottles wont do much if you dont get it on the source fast. I saw a MR2 go from a slight engine fire to a full blown everything on fire from the time it took me to slow from 60 to zero, back to gtfo speed away from it as a tire blew.

 

[carlosz]

drive it into a lake, that way you are certain it will be totalled.

in reality, a car goes up super fast. those little dry chem bottles wont do much if you dont get it on the source fast. I saw a MR2 go from a slight engine fire to a full blown everything on fire from the time it took me to slow from 60 to zero, back to gtfo speed away from it as a tire blew.

sometime ago I drove fuel tanker in the dc metro area, part of our hazmat training is/ was fire control.
conversing with the fire chief and his crew, they explained the following... "if you are going to react to a car fire, do not wait... your extinguisher will be overwhelmed inmediately.. we have yet to come upon a car fire where an extinguisher would have made a difference... best thing to do, keep the hood closed and call emergency inmediately, either way it will be totalled.."
I had a small gasoline fire in the shop where a fuel line dripped on the light bulb of a drop light, man it was a rush putting it out... don't recomend it.

 

[fishEH]

Firemen always say that shit. "Call the professionals" blah blah blah. Fire department response time is whaf, 4 minutes if you're lucky. Your truck will be gone by then. Use your extinguisher immediately, then call the firemen.
We have a saying in the town I work for; _________ Fire Department, never lost a foundation yet!

 

[redhawkrovers]

Don't open the hood just pop it open then use the extinguisher
get the nozzle under the hood. Opening the hood just adds tons of air.

 

[K-rover]

This happened a few years back. I wasnt there but still hear about it often. I believe the key is to address the fire immediately. Any wasted time and it could mean the difference between some repairs or complete totaled.

This video shows another reason for fixing leaks, even if they seem insignificant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MebP7ZUcPdM

 

[antichrist]

x2 on there probably being a fair amount of time before the fire was noticed.
But even nearly immediate attack might not be enough. I was driving home one day a few years ago and vette just a few cars in front of me had a fireball blow from the engine compartment. By time I could get puled over and run to the car even my 10lb extinguisher couldn't contain it, though I suspect, based on the pattern of the fire ball, it was misting oil or fuel for a while.
The little 2.5lb units are nearly worthless. Invest in a couple of 10lb extinguishers.
There's someone selling almost $60 fancy mounts for 2.5lb extinguishers. I don't know what's more funny, making them or people buying them instead of a real extinguisher. But I guess looks can be more important than protection.

 

[Devildog01]

Your best bet is to have full coverage zero deductable and watch that fucker burn to the ground.

 

[wheelen disco]

I watched a tire fire burn a semi to the ground in short order. His two tens, my ten and five were sprayed at the base within seconds of it happening. Silly Canadians.

 

[K-rover]

This is all depends on individual circumstances. For example my brother in law had a shitty ford taurus that caught fire at a stop light. He didnt even realize it until someone next to him pointed it out. He had a 2lb in the car and was able to put it out before it did any real damage.
But like has been seen by others. Some times the fire goes from 0 to out of control in seconds. Then you have no real option but to get back and watch it burn, and hope your insurance will cover it!
I carry a 2lb on the back door and have been thinking of putting another one somewhere in the cab.

 

[Nomar]

This happened a few years back. I wasnt there but still hear about it often. I believe the key is to address the fire immediately. Any wasted time and it could mean the difference between some repairs or complete totaled.

This video shows another reason for fixing leaks, even if they seem insignificant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MebP7ZUcPdM

Marty probably got that truck back on the road by now...

 

[mgreenspan]

I'm of the opinion that a fire extinguisher is more for egress/getting fire away/off of cargo/people. The vehicle is the last concern at that point. I suppose that comes more from flying though where all our fire fighting equipment on board was for keeping fire out of the cockpit or for clearing an escape path. If any automobile I own ever catches on fire, the last thing I'll be doing is standing within five feet of it with a fire extinguisher, unless somebody is still inside. F that noise.

 

[apg]

"... best thing to do, keep the hood closed and call emergency inmediately, either way it will be totalled.."

A while back, I noticed smoke coming from a car in an adjacent parking lot as I drove the Rover onto the top deck of the office parking garage. I called the FD from my cell.

The station was just three blocks away and they got on the scene right quick. It was apparent, at least to me, that this was electrical, with smoke coming from one corner. Now the car was unlocked, but instead of using the hood release, the FD used fire axes and pry bars to open the hood up. The fire was quickly suppressed with one quick squirt from the hose. Curious...water on an electrical fire? It wasn't what we were taught in the scouts decades ago....

Then, to make sure it was "safe", one person carefully removed the air cleaner from the carb and filled the engine block with water.

If the vehicle wasn't totaled before, it certainly was now....

 

[Tugela]

Your best bet is to have full coverage zero deductable and watch that fucker burn to the ground.

So the insurance company can write me a check for $1,000?

 

[fishEH]

So the insurance company can write me a check for $1,000?

Exactly

 

[Devildog01]

So the insurance company can write me a check for $1,000?

I would suggest getting better insurance unless your rig is only worth 1k.

 

[K-rover]

I would suggest getting better insurance unless your rig is only worth 1k.

This brings up a good question.. how do you guys have your trucks insured? Mine isnt my DD, I drive it once a week if that, and lately its been just a trail truck. I took full coverage off a while back when I paid it off.

I guess I need to call my insurance company and ask them how I can get my truck covered for "offroad" incidents.

 

[Devildog01]

Mine is a trail rig only and I have full coverage no deductible.It is insured for 8k total loss.My old D2 had the same coverage and I blew out a rear window (the big one) at Rausch Creek and my insurance covered it at a cost of $750 for window plus labor.My insurance for the year on the D2 is $325 so to me it's worth it.I wouldn't make a claim for minor trail damage but any minor damage (windows major body damage) I would claim.