# Just When you thought it couldn't get any worse!



## ThePlowKing

This happened during the Valentine's Day snow storm in Portsmouth, NH. This poor guy's truck went up in flames across the street from one of the accounts I plow. The fire department showed up just as i took the picture, but i guess it was too late.


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## bowtie_guy

That really sucks. Hope he kept his insurance up with fire coverage.


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## scholzee

Wow looks like it is in a new car lot, imagine if it spread to those and they started on fire, talk about dropped insurance.


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## carl b

THE CAR LOTS AROUND ME USE A BRAND NEW TRUCK THATS FOR SALE TO PLOW..I HOPE THAT WAS'NT BRAND NEW!!:crying:


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## btr1286

Any idea as to what started the fire and what kind of truck it was?


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## DaySpring Services

My guess is a short, like scholzee said, looks like a new car lot. The truck kinda looked new too.


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## payton

it doesnt appear to be a new truck.. it appears to be an older scout or international. by the looks of the headlights and espically the windshield still sucks


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## sgoalie23

The guy wasn't trapped inside was he?


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## fatboy

Well at least he wasnt cold.......


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## Antnee77

Ouch, a carbeque in the dead of winter.


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## SuperDutyFisher

Man, that must have been scary


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## lakesregionscap

Burnt up our '86 F250 a little over a year ago (in October) next to a customers house... Not only does it suck when it happens, but you keep looking for stuff that was in the truck ... you need to replace the truck... you get to explain the big sooty spot on the ground 100 times to every contractor and neighbor within a mile radius for months afterwards. (And our insurance didn't cover, because we had liability only - too old to be worth much) Talk about a BAD DAY!


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## 1sthippy

Looks like someone standing by the white car. Might be the driver and/or the fanner of the flames! Sure is well on it's way to OH SHEET!!!! Hippy


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## theonlybull

that's why i carry a 2 lbs extingusher in my truck at all times..... never used it on my own, but have saved others. 

bein' a volly firefighter, i can tell ya, if you can stop it when it starts, your ok..... otherwise, it's a loss


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## Rampart Ranger

I burned a plow to the ground a few years back. Electrical problem. (matter of fact, the one in my avatar)

Seen many a stock auto burn also.

Always ugly and dangerous!


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## THEGOLDPRO

damn that sux,


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## Rampart Ranger

theonlybull;374407 said:


> that's why i carry a 2 lbs extingusher in my truck at all times..... never used it on my own, but have saved others.
> 
> bein' a volly firefighter, i can tell ya, if you can stop it when it starts, your ok..... otherwise, it's a loss


While still with CDOT (in my own private vehicle on the way home), I came across a PU pulling a 4 horse up the canyon that leads towards my house. Struggling to climb the grade. I offered to hook a chain and get him past the steep part. Declined.

200 yards up the road, they stalled again, and lifted hood to check out smoke (VERY BAD MOVE, lift hood - feed oxygen to fire!). Having more than a little experience in this type situation, I bailed and ran forward to the problem truck. Upon seeing engine fire, I did not ask, but DEMANDED that the stock be immediately unloaded. I then used State issued cell to call emergency response from State Patrol and Firefighters.

The occupants complied only after recognizing that the engine fire was out of control (they were sensible Oklahoma boys so this took less than 1 minute).

Truck - total loss (gas lines melted, several explosions including gas tank). Trailer - smoke damage (after the fire was out I towed to safe park). Two occupants and four horses - scared but unharmed. Hwy 67 - asphalt burned for about 25 ft.

Engine compartment fires will generally be totally out of control as soon as the hood is lifted (and probably before that)!

BE SAFE!

BTW - I recieved not so much as a commendation in my file for saving the life of the people, stock, or preventing wildfire in this canyon by appropriate response to emergency while off the clock. Considered standard duty - and thus it should be. Give your State Hwy workers a little thanks once in a while! They are out there trying to help YOU!


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## ThePlowKing

Fortunately, the driver made it out just fine to my understanding. The truck did go up in flames in a Saturn dealership... should go see if any of those plastic cars melted.


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## Mark Oomkes

theonlybull;374407 said:


> that's why i carry a 2 lbs extingusher in my truck at all times..... never used it on my own, but have saved others.
> 
> bein' a volly firefighter, i can tell ya, if you can stop it when it starts, your ok..... otherwise, it's a loss


Lost one of ours years ago, emptied 2 extinguishers on it. Fuel line melted, but the wires to the fuel pump in the tank did not melt until later. Fuel just got pumped right into the fire. I got paid to watch my truck burn.



ThePlowKing;374576 said:


> Fortunately, the driver made it out just fine to my understanding. The truck did go up in flames in a Saturn dealership... should go see if any of those plastic cars melted.


That could have turned into a major conflagration with all that plastic. lol After trying to extricate a few people out of Saturns, I can guarantee that is one car I will never own.


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## JSLandscaping

I always carry a fire extinguisher as well as a pair of cutting pliers. To prevent the fire from spreading such as due to an electrical fire if possible cut the negative cable to the battery to kill the circuit of electricity. If your truck is going up, shut it off and cut those cables to the battery and kill it with the extinguisher. If you dont have an electrical source the fuel pump wont keep pumping and you will be able to get the fire under control. I had my 97 ram 2500 catch on me one night in a TGI fridays parking lot due to a cracked fuel line where it came into the fuel rail. Had my at the time girlfriend with me. Luckily I was able to put it out before any serious damage was done. Still runnin strong today. Have put out about 3 car fires as well with my extinguishers I carry in the truck. After the second one I put out, I realized it must have been a calling from someone above that I was ment to be a firefighter, ended up joining my local FD the next day. Now usually when we go out to calls by the time we are able to get there usually the vehicles are fully involved. Personally I think every one should be required to carry even a small one in any vehicle, would prevent a lot of these fires if people were prepared and knew how to use it. Seen a lot of ricers go up in smoke due to people my age modding them up without knowing what they are really doing, running those huge amplifiers with the wrong cables, turbo's not being heat shielded or just other plain non profesional work that can cause the fires. Sure is fun soaking them down with the foam tho from the nozzle of the line. Shame to see any vehicle go up in smoke, can be very dangerous, we have had a couple cars expode as we arrived. Definatly an adrenaline rush, those gas tanks are ticking time bombs.


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## Mark Oomkes

No kidding, been a firefighter for 18 years and have yet to see a gas tank explode on a car fire. I've seen the gas charged struts in the hoods and bumpers blow and many tires as well as a few vehicles that have magnesium parts, but never a gas tank.


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## JSLandscaping

Seen it happen once, but it was due to the vehicle being in an accident and the tank was punctured. Fire started in the engine compartment and traveled back, gas was leaking on the ground and I guess thats how it went up. I had pictures of it right after that happened somewhere. Ill try and find them. Thank God everyone was able to get out of the car before it went up. That has to be the worse way to go, being entrapped and having your car engulfed in flames while you are stuck in it. Joining the Fire Department has to be one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life though.

A Fireman's Prayer :

When I am called to duty, God,
Whenever flames may rage;
Give me strength to save some life,
Whatever be its age. 
Help me embrace a little child
Before it is too late
Or save an older person
From the horror of that fate. 
Enable me to be alert
And hear the weakest shout,
And quickly and efficiently
To put the fire out. 
I want to fill my calling
And to give the best in me
To guard my every neighbor
And protect his property. 
And if, according to my fate,
I am to lose my life,
Please bless with your protecting
My children and my wife.


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## homey1

What type of fire extinguisher do you recommend?


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## JSLandscaping

The best fire extinguisher you can have in your truck would be one that is rated BC, they have ones that are ABC as well. You want a dry chem fire extinguisher in your truck because usually vehicle fires are from flamable liquids such as, gas, oil, ect....which is class B, or class C, which is fires from electrical. So haveing a ABC rated extinguisher will allow you to fight pretty much any type of fire, which would be a dry chemical extinguisher, which is effective on every type of fire except for class D fires, combustible metals, which you dont see too often. Always remember the PASS rule, its the procedure for using an extinguisher. 

P ull the pin
A im the extinguisher
S queeze the trigger
S weep the base of the fire.

When using a carbon dioxide extinguisher be careful when holding the nozzle, because compressed carbon dioxide lets out extremly cold air, ice will form on the nozzle and if you are holding it I was told you hand could become frozen to it, or suffer severe frostbite. I keep A dry chemical extinguisher in my trucks at all times. and if it is used, it is replaced before the truck goes out again, it is a DOT law to have an adequate fire extinguisher on any DOT class truck, anything over 10000LBS GVWR. Also make sure to check your extinguishers periodicallly, they will loose thier charge over time. Nothing worse then going to fight your fire with your extinguisher, only to have it fail and not work, and your truck goes up in smoke...I train all my guys how to use the extinguishers properly, just an easy saftey thing that could save you lots of money down the road.


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## PowerWagon

yeah I am FULL cover on Ins even if my truck is OLD!! :salute:


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## somm

gr8 refresher course. we've always kept an a/b/c aboard.

thank you & keep safe e1.


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## yzf1000_rider

also jslandscaping with the co2 extinguisher you need to leave the cannister on the ground so you dont get zapped when they build up a static charge.


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## groundbreakers

woah ... i dont know what is worse watching a house go up in flames or a car ... either way its a bad situation ... a few days ago i watched a restaurant attached to a hotel go up .. talkin about smokey ... you could see it from 10 miles away .. covered 2 miles with black smoke ... i would hate to be a fireman running into stuff like that ..


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## Mark Oomkes

And if your vehicle does have combustible metals, your extinguisher didn't work. Just stand back and watch the fireworks when the FD gets there. 

There are quite a few vehicles now with magnesium in them someplace. Nice light show and watch the guy on the nozzle and see if he's ready for it.


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## RBRONKEMA GHTFD

Mark I have seen that before. It is pretty impresive. And it scares the sh!t out of you too. But I must say that definalty does suck for that guy and really you don't wish that on your worst enemy really. I mean the guys is gonna lose money because he can't plow and he can't drive so then he need a rent-a-wreck. Money lost Money lost.:realmad: 

Ryan


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## Mark Oomkes

Ryan, first time I saw it, the nozzleman just about landed on his butt from jumping back so far. Fortunately it wasn't me so I could laugh. 

Just had another New Year's Day morning. Stolen car, left in the boonies and torched. It was gone by the time we got there. This time I was on the nozzle and there was magnesium on the passenger and driver's floorboards, never could figure out what it was. It surprised me a little, but nothing like the other times. Scared my backup man more than me. Course, no Class D extinguishers so lots and lots of water eventually put it out.


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## firelwn82

If there's magnesium switch to foam. Yes its not as cool by any means but it works well. Just one additional note to exstinguishers, Take them from where there mounted and shake them once a month or so. Keeps everthing mixed up and unstuck from the bottom. Also shake it a couple of times before you use it, it only takes two seconds.


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## gslam88

Just another reason to drive a diesel..its next to impossible to ignite diesel...


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## 1sthippy

*Auto Fires*

And don't forget about the 20 or so explosive items in a newer car or truck. Gas shocks - gas hood struts - air bag activators - bumper shocks - side curtain air bags - hybrid battery cells - tires - fuel cell - and be careful using a slim jim because of the air bags in the door. Hippy.


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## mafiaboy3

lol someone didn't plow the mafioso's house well


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## J&R Landscaping

theonlybull;374407 said:


> that's why i carry a 2 lbs extingusher in my truck at all times..... never used it on my own, but have saved others.
> 
> bein' a volly firefighter, i can tell ya, if you can stop it when it starts, your ok..... otherwise, it's a loss


Yup, I have a fire extinguisher in each veichle I drive. If and when I switch to an enclosed trailer, I will also have them inside the trailer then.


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## MO TOYS

Quick Un Hitch The Plow Well Strap It On One Of These Saturns And Finish The Job Lol J/k


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