Lucky to be alive - Put the fire extinguisher in the van

[Terry]

On my way to a job this morning on Rte 128 by Lexington just in front of me a guy driving a volvo lost control on the outside of 4 lanes came accross towards the breakdown lane hit the remainder of an icebank flipped over and landed by some trees/brush.
I thought the car was on fire with smoke coming from it, pulled in as did 3/4 others, went to get my fire extinguisher by my seat it wasn't there I'd taken it out recently while rearranging my van and didn't put it back

Turns out it was just smoke from tires etc and the guy was trapped, but thankfully talking and will be ok. All of the bags had gone off and he was wearing his safety belt otherwise his chances would be slim.


My fire extinguisher is back in the van


Terry

 

[rhyde]

I used my fire extinguisher the same week I put it in there. I was behind another carpet cleaner and his tire blew out there was enough friction for the tire start burning

 

[Guest]

Wow. Thanks for the tip.

My EZ hasn't gone up in flames yet.

 

[rhino1]

I keep one in the van since the wiring on my TM caught on fire while I did a restaurant. I came out to see why the unit went dead and had to put out a small fire with some encap juice. At least I found one good use for it!

 

[GRHeacock]

Some good advice!!

When you need it, you need it in a hurry!!

Check the ones in your home and office.

Re-charge or replace as needed.

Do it NOW!!

Gary

 

[Art Kelley]

There has been two times over the years I have put out car fires while on my way to a job. I just put a spray wand on a solution hose and fire away (so to speak.)

 

[Jim Pemberton]

A guy I know was cleaning carpet and his customer was standing a bit close with that "I have a question I'd like to ask you" look on her face.

He was annoyed and didn't want interupted, so he kept from making eye contact and concentrated on his work. She shyly kept moving back to his field of vision, and he was a bit worried as to what she really wanted by this time.

She finally ventured, with a shy smile, this question in a soft voice:





"Do flames usually come out the windows of your van when your equipment is running?"

By the time he got to the truck, it was too late to do anything but call the fire department.

Fire extinguishers should be on every truck.

 

[Terry]

Art, good thinking.

Jim, Just curious do you know if it is law to have an extinguisher in the van?

The guy was still in car when picture was taken and was waiting to be cut out/ released by the fire department.

I would've felt really bad if it was on fire with him trapped in there, hopefully I'd have thought of the water in the truck.

Terry

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Thanks Steve

But I do tell the story too often; another reminder that as I turn 50, I'm turning into that old man who tells the same stories over and over again.

Next I'll be yelling at kids to get off of my lawn.........

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Careful......my next car is a Grand Torino!

Back to the serious stuff:

Fire extinguisher's both protect our property and as was the case in this post, we can protect others as well.

Great post Terry, sorry that I let it get hijacked.

 

[LeeCory]

My Powerclean Genesis had the gas line routed above the machine and it was touching the water pump belt. I didn't know that was my gas line, and over time the belt was slowly making a groove in the line. Whenever I took the machine in for something they would just try and push it aside a bit but it always made it's way back in contact with the water pump belt.

One hot summer day I walked outside after finishing a job and the moment I went out the customers door I smelled an intense gas odor. For a moment I wondered where such a gas odor would be coming from until I got closer to my van and realized what was happening. I immediately shut down the engine and jumped in to see what was going on.... and the gas was running out of the gas line onto my hot engine. I grabbed some rags and put it around the gas line to stop the dripping and got out.

I can't even believe that the whole thing didn't blow up. With the amount of gas on the engine and the intense fumes it could have gone any second.

I was on the phone in the driveway wanting to know why the gas line would be routed above the whole machine and laying against a moving belt.

While it is still routed over the machine, it is now on the other side of the frame... DUH

Not sure if a fire extinguisher would have done any good in this situation But I do have one.