rimpainter.com

There has been a lot of talk lately about mounting fire extinguishers in your rig, etc. Not only is that a smart idea, but it could save a life, or a truck for that matter.

I was on my way to work one morning, when I happened to be first on the scene to a truck fire. When I first arrived, there is no doubt in my mind that the fire could have been put out.

Just the night before, I decided to remove all my gear from my bed box in my old Tacoma. That includes the removal of my fire extinguisher. While I truly believe this may have happened for a reason, I still kick myself about it every now and then.

So, instead of shooting it with foam, I shot it with my digital camera. Check these out!

Ford Fire Start

Ford Fire During

Ford Fire (Fire Dept on scene)

Ford Toast

This may be a little OT, but I feel its another reason to mount a fire extinguisher. I mounted mine behind the back seats of my 4Runner, and I NEVER take it out. :fireman:

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Wow
As posted elsewhere, I carry two fire bottles in the rig at all times.

Lucky the fire did not spread to the gas tank on that rig.
Any idea what started it?

SLC Punk

WOW that's pretty crazy!

Was it something they were hauling in the bed that caught fire?

dajabr

Saw the first post on this, took a week but got one in, only $15. Way cheap insurance. Considering a second but holding off.

The one I got had leaked all over the inside of the box though, powder everywhere. Double checked the replacement before taking it. Mounted to my roll bar high enough to have the handle and gauge out of cargo area but not at ridiculous"show off" height, this way there's less chance it will get hit with gear and spring a leak.

BTW, there's a 1st Gen in the 1st pic...

rimpainter.com

It might have been some type of chemical reaction from inside their truck box. They had thousands of dollars of climbing gear, and they were just returning from an all night job in Flagstaff. No one gave me a straight answer. I was behind them when they pulled over, and it was definetly something from inside the truck box (the box was mounted on the bed rails) as it was smoking.

The truck was a diesel, so I dont think it would explode. Not sure though. Maybe some real firefighters can fill us in. I think diesel just burns really slow (?).

It was a nice truck. I think it was a 350. I stress WAS.

FattyCBR

That poor truck.

Highland Runner

I'm a firefighter and have been on numerous car fires. I've never personally seen any gas tanks blow. It doesn't happen like in the movies. The worst case is an empty tank. It's the fumes that explode. The things to worry about in a car fire are shocks, tires, bumper mounts, and the MANY things that people carry in their cars (like the guy that just filled his propane grill tank and put it in his trunk). Unless you can catch a fire right when it starts, a small extinguisher might not be able to put out a car fire. I still carry an extinguisher in my car though.

Bob_98SR5

For all the firefighters on the board,

If you get there while its starting, should you even attempt to put it out? Assuming that no one alive is inside?

Sorry if that sounds dumb, but somethings are best left to professionals.

Bob

BTOWN4RUNNER

Bob, look at it this way. What if you tried to put it out and something happens to you. Then there is not only a burning vehicle, but a burnt person. That is two problems instead of one. If you know what to do safely, do it. Otherwise, just let it go until someone with protective equipement shows up. As a FF and a future EMT, I would rather just put out a fire than do that and Medevac someone with third degrees burns on their body. :fireman:

rimpainter.com

Good question Bob.

I would like to interject something about this particular case. The fire was very small when I first got there - much smaller than the first picture you see. By the time I realized my extinguisher was at home and got my camera out, it had grown significantly. So there is a pretty good ET after the initial smoke, then the flames.

Regardless, good question. A couple things did "pop" and blow out into traffic. That very well could have been "pointed" the other direction and nailed one of the guys that were trying to put out this fire by smothering it with jackets (definetly not smart!).

Tacoma Dude

I was once driving to work and saw a slow down in traffic and black smoke around a blind curve.

Sadly, it was a Tacoma 4 cyl. maybe 99?
The truck had its hazards on so I'm assuming it died with some type of internal electrical problem which eventually started the fire. Oh yeah, nobody was around it either.

I pulled in front of it, grabbed my ABC extinguisher and put it all out baby

Luckily, nobody was inside 'cause the entire cab was engulfed. My $20 extinguisher put it out with some leftover (its not those itty-bitty car ones that look like a soda).

Later when Fire was on scene, the guy in charge came up to me and was like "Put out the fire? Feels good, don't it?"

I pass by this road everyday... it's been like 6 months now and the charred dirt is still there. Something to look at on my way to work

rimpainter.com

Ok, I am now going to run dual extinguishers like Corey.

I mounted them where the cargo cover mounts, just above the rear fender wells. I will post some pics later.

Now that I think of it, you could also use them as a non-lethal way to blast some punks away.

4RunnerFever

I've got mine mounted on the headrest posts with a webbing strap. Easy Access and looks cool when your walking by (always a plus).

Victor

As a firefighter and a paramedic let me offer this. If the fire is in its earliest stage you may put it out. Approach with the wind to your back if you can - you don't want some smoke in your face that could cause cancer years from now. The steps for the extinguisher are:

1. Pull pin
2. Aim
3. Sweep side to side
4. Stay away!!

Notice I changed it a little. Fire can be incredibly hot - and as a hazmat tech let me tell you that as the fire consumes products many new toxins will be produced especially as plastics and oil based products burn. If you are close enough to feel heat you are TOO CLOSE! There can be a tremendous amount of heat that is radiated that will cause burns and often you are in the middle of it before you realize it. I've had fire flame over me once when I was on a nozzle and let me tell you not even a helmet, nomex hood, collar on my jacket, and respiratory protection kept me from receiving a first degree burn on my neck.

If it is a very small fire then by all means try to put it out - the risk to you and everyone increases as the fire grows. If the fire is growing rapidly your chances of slowing or stopping that chain reaction are very slim especially if you don't know what product is burning.

Tacoma Dude

Thanks for the reality check Victor

knemo77

from what i gather a Gasoline tank can explode but it is rare. But deisel tanks cannot explode because it is not nearly as flammable.

zedex

Its amazing how fast a small fire can grow. Friends of mine both burnt their hands on the hood of my bronco .And the fire had barely started. 1 minute later you just had to stand back and watch it burn. Nothing you could do.

Bob_98SR5

That would be my main concern if it was just a vehicle fire and not a person-in-the-vehicle fire.

Also, I've read a few stories in my brief lifetime where the good Samaritan gets sued b/c he/she does something that causes damage (perceived or otherwise). I can just see someone spraying a fire extinguisher and then the owner claiming the wrong type of extinguisher was used and it caused extensive damage, blah blah blah. You know, some folks in our society can be so litigious.

Bob

FUGGRWE

Holy shizzle my dizzle, that is one toasted Super Duty. Too bad it happened before he could put a 6" lift and 36's on it.

rimpainter.com

Anybody notice the clean 1st gen going by in the 1st picture?