Cars on fire - wtf?

Stheno

Driving home tonight, there was a car on fire on the M1

Thinking back on it, pretty much every week the past eight weeks I've been driving (Christmas excepted) this is reported as an issue.

Why is this? Shouldn't it be rare for modern cars to go on fire?

goz83

Thought that happened every day on the M1

Del2005

Stheno wrote: »

Driving home tonight, there was a car on fire on the M1

Thinking back on it, pretty much every week the past eight weeks I've been driving (Christmas excepted) this is reported as an issue.

Why is this? Shouldn't it be rare for modern cars to go on fire?

The other hundred thousand odd vehicles driving past weren't on fire and that's just the M50. How many other cars where on fire to make it common?

Duke O Smiley

Have you considered asking Joe Duffy?

He'd be your man.

the_syco

Stheno wrote: »

Why is this? Shouldn't it be rare for modern cars to go on fire?

Park car in the middle of the motorway, set in on fire, and then ring the police to say it's being stolen. Insurance company pays out, and you're up a few thousand.

Duke O Smiley

the_syco wrote: »

Park car in the middle of the motorway, set in on fire, and then ring the police to say it's being stolen. Insurance company pays out, and you're up a few thousand.

"Hello yes Police I'm standing here on the hard shoulder of the M1 my car has been stolen and is on fire in lane 3"

degsie

Probably just some scummers having a barbecue.

CiniO

I've never seen a car on fire in my life (except from movies).

Del2005

CiniO wrote: »

I've never seen a car on fire in my life (except from movies).

Closest I've ever been to a vehicle fire was when I blew a head gasket and the car filled with steam.

Froshtbit

The only 2 cars I've ever known to go on fire were a workmates 1.8 petrol Mk3 Mondeo and a friend's wife's mk6 Fiesta. I think the problem with both was a knackered rocker cover gasket, oil leaked an pooled around the spark plugs and, after a fashin, it took light.

Well, that was the explanation offered. I often wondered how likely it was to be true.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

Lidl were selling little extinguishers a while back. Might be worth buying one in case I drop a fag on the seat.

beauf

CiniO wrote: »

I've never seen a car on fire in my life (except from movies).

I've seen it twice. A hillman IMP. I was a kid and I think we were behind it. Someone else in the family was driving the imp. I think it mainly was a lot of black smoke. Someone passing put it out.

On the way to work on day in Clonskeagh, there was a mk1 Seat Ibiza parked up and a good blaze out of the bonnet. Which was a bit off putting as I was driving a very similar Ibiza.

cerastes

Del2005 wrote: »

Closest I've ever been to a vehicle fire was when I blew a head gasket and the car filled with steam.

I have visions of steam coming out your ears, so did the occupant compartment fill with steam? or do you mean the engine bay?

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

"Hello yes Police I'm standing here on the hard shoulder of the M1 my car has been stolen and is on fire in lane 3"

They said report to the police that the car had been stolen,
few things, if you tell them its on fire they will probably redirect you to the fire service,
its also probably a give away, as they might be suspicious how you know your vehicle is on fire on the M50 if its stolen.

Del2005

cerastes wrote: »

I have visions of steam coming out your ears, so did the occupant compartment fill with steam? or do you mean the engine bay?

Whole cabin and steam from under the bonnet. Was pushing an original Mini too hard up the M50 and when I stopped at the lights at the N4 roundabout the car filled up with steam, took a second to realise it wasn't smoke.

Guy:Incognito

Pulling out at airside ford (swords)yesterday at around 5 a c4 Picasso went by us with its dpf on fire and the owner seemly unaware. We tried to head after it but took us a bit to get the right turn. Around on the road opposite the old Renault building there was a chunk of burning dpf at the kerb but no sign of the car, think it turned off down to Holywell. We couldn't see any sign.

R.O.R

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Pulling out at airside ford (swords)yesterday at around 5 a c4 Picasso went by us with its dpf on fire and the owner seemly unaware. We tried to head after it but took us a bit to get the right turn. Around on the road opposite the old Renault building there was a chunk of burning dpf at the kerb but no sign of the car, think it turned off down to Holywell. We couldn't see any sign.

Not far from where the car was on fire yesterday, and around the same time......

Possibly a rental on the way back to the airport, or was it too old for that?

If the dpf was on fire, I'd guess it had been filled with petrol recently. That's what did for the Skoda Superb I tried to put out.

If your car does go on fire, get away from it. Unless you have an extinguisher immediately to hand, the fire spreads so quickly that it gets very dangerous, very quickly.

CJhaughey

This summer in France we passed a car on fire on the hard shoulder, the plume of smoke was visible for several kilometres away, the traffic had slowed and the car was pretty much burnt out completely by the time we passed.
They had most of their luggage with them at the side of the road.
Fires can start easily at motorway speed, belts and hot metal and fuel and lots of oxygen at high speed all make fires a distinct possibility.

christy02

Girls car in work went on fire few months ago. Went out, started it up and saw smoke coming from bonnet. Rang husband he told her open bonnet to have a look!
She didn't.
Car was a blaze in few minutes. Tyres exploded early enough. Also windscreen imploding caused a bang.
Car was a shell by time fire brigade got there. No fuel tank explosion as per movies though. Granted diesels would not ignite as easy as petrol.
08 or 09 focus. Not an old car.....

bbability

Spotted a car on fire on the M1 two weeks ago. An Opel Astra saloon previous model. Man and Young child on side of the road. Looked like an engine fire as was on fire at the front and there was black smoke in the cabin. Emergancy Services seemed to be heading to the scene pretty quickly from Balbriggan. I was travelling in the opposite direction.

brooke 2

Have noticed a few lorry cabs on fire on the M50 over the past few years.
Did not see any pre-recession.

asteroids over berlin

seen some dude standing at the side of the road on the m50 Sandyford exit, staring at his junker car (engine) in flames, i was a bit shocked but the expression on the on the dudes face was hilarious. I was going to give him a beep and laugh whilst driving on in my new (2 year old) Audi A3. Roll on 3 years later and i reckon i have paid a good 3k in maintenance/repairs now, kinda wish i was that dude on the road.

BreadnBuddha

asteroids over berlin wrote: »

seen some dude standing at the side of the road on the m50 Sandyford exit, staring at his junker car (engine) in flames, i was a bit shocked but the expression on the on the dudes face was hilarious. I was going to give him a beep and laugh whilst driving on in my new (2 year old) Audi A3. Roll on 3 years later and i reckon i have paid a good 3k in maintenance/repairs now, kinda wish i was that dude on the road.

You were going to give him a beep and laugh? Well done. That's kind of pathetic and then you add to it with the Audi A3 and €3k maintenance over 3 years..... When reality bites you, you'll scream like a little bitch.

I had a car go up in flames. An old junker but still a horrible experience. Years later I put out a fire in the dashboard in a Volvo s40 stopped on the N4 with it's owner standing there helpless. I did that with a small fire extinguisher.

If you're carrying a fire extinguisher (you should) it should be at least a 5KG unit or better still a 7.5 or 10KG powder unit. You could save your own or another car or even a life by having one in the boot.

Del2005

christy02 wrote: »

Girls car in work went on fire few months ago. Went out, started it up and saw smoke coming from bonnet. Rang husband he told her open bonnet to have a look!
She didn't.
Car was a blaze in few minutes. Tyres exploded early enough. Also windscreen imploding caused a bang.
Car was a shell by time fire brigade got there. No fuel tank explosion as per movies though. Granted diesels would not ignite as easy as petrol.
08 or 09 focus. Not an old car.....

That is the worst advice anyone can give for an engine bay fire. If your engine goes on fire and you have an extinguisher only pop the bonnet and fire it in through the small gap, if you've no extinguisher stand far away, as opening the bonnet will allow loads of oxygen to the fire. Luckily she didn't follow the advice.

jca

Saw a Morris Minor going up in flames once when I was a chap. Fairly spectacular stuff as the elderly female owner jumped out leaving the engine running. The fuel pipe to the su had melted and the electric fuel pump proceeded to dump the contents of the fuel tank into the fire. Me and the brother thought it was great fun altogether...

dimsumss

carry a fire extinguisher

what make of car was it

vw has recall due to fires
some old ford suvs catch fire

some kia fortes recalled


jeeps catch fire
recalled

bring something that will cut battery cable in case of fire

Jesus.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

Lidl were selling little extinguishers a while back. Might be worth buying one in case I drop a fag on the seat.

kerry4sam

Del2005 wrote: »

That is the worst advice anyone can give for an engine bay fire. If your engine goes on fire and you have an extinguisher only pop the bonnet and fire it in through the small gap, if you've no extinguisher stand far away, as opening the bonnet will allow loads of oxygen to the fire. Luckily she didn't follow the advice.

I've only a fire blanket in my car.
Figured the blanket would protect me as bonnet is popped; cover entire size of the engine once open and spread out. It would act faster in covering more space than the spray from any canister in my opinion.

Just what I've opted than having a highly pressurised canister of gas not fully secure in my car,
kerry4sam

degsie

dimsumss wrote: »

carry a fire extinguisher

what make of car was it

vw has recall due to fires
some old ford suvs catch fire

some kia fortes recalled


jeeps catch fire
recalled

bring something that will cut battery cable in case of fire

i am not a robot

BMJD

on the M50 years ago late one night, I got passed by an Alfa 156 belting along, must've been doing well over 120 mph, 2 minutes later it was in the old grass central reservation with flames coming from the engine bay and two muppets standing beside it scratching their heads

CJhaughey

kerry4sam wrote: »

I've only a fire blanket in my car.
Figured the blanket would protect me as bonnet is popped; cover entire size of the engine once open and spread out. It would act faster in covering more space than the spray from any canister in my opinion.

Just what I've opted than having a highly pressurised canister of gas not fully secure in my car,
kerry4sam

Waste of time having a fire blanket, the flames will lick around the side of it.
Unless the blanket can cover the entire engine so that it stops any airflow to the fire its useless.
The air will be able to get to the bottom of the engine and through the grill.
You need an extinguisher as well.
The situations a fire blanket are good for are putting out a kitchen fire and someone who is on fire.

Plopli

I'm really surprised carrying a fire extinguisher is not mandatory in Ireland.

It is definitely in Belgium with laws on the number, size, type, position in the vehicle, fixation points, ... depending on the vehicle size, type and use.
And it's checked at the NCT equivalent.

Checking a bit more it looks like it's one of these Belgium oddities ...
I didn't find any provision in the law for foreign registered vehicle.
I really wonder it the cops could fine you if they were to stop you.

pippip

A family member worked as health and safety in a gym and one day a customers car went on fire in the carpark. She was telling me even though they have plenty of fire extinguishers due to insurance they are not allowed to use them as it transfers responsibility to them. Just had to stand there and let it burn until fire brigade arrived. Car was a shell and the two next to it were badly damaged.

Having said that most cars I've seen on fire would not be stopped by any fire extinguisher anyway.

Roen

I've seen three cars on fire.
One was at the side of the road and could have been caused by anything as I didn't see how it started. The other two were directly witnessed by me. They had occupants in the car, stopped in traffic and the cars just cooked off and went up. I was on foot and called the fire brigade but that was about all I could do.

The speed at which a small bit of smoke turned into a full on blazing fire was sobering. I had forgotten about these incidents until this thread came up.

For those that have after market extinguishers in the boot how do you secure them? I can't imagine having a pressurised steel cylinder pinballing around the boot would be a good idea in a crash.

For the record one was a Punto, the other a Clio and the one that I saw at the side of the road I have no idea.

jca

Plopli wrote: »

I'm really surprised carrying a fire extinguisher is not mandatory in Ireland.

It is definitely in Belgium with laws on the number, size, type, position in the vehicle, fixation points, ... depending on the vehicle size, type and use.
And it's checked at the NCT equivalent.

Checking a bit more it looks like it's one of these Belgium oddities ...
I didn't find any provision in the law for foreign registered vehicle.
I really wonder it the cops could fine you if they were to stop you.

All Taxis have to carry an extinguisher properly bolted to the vehicle. It's checked every year for the suitability test. Cops check them frequently enough too. I think it would be a great idea for every vehicle to carry one.