Author Topic: My Car Caught on FIRE  (Read 2878 times)

Offline bordin34

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My Car Caught on FIRE
« on: May 27, 2009 - 09:06:51 PM »
My car caught on fire today. I was just driving down a road ,going to a cruise night, and when I approached a stop sign the car died. I didn't think anything of it since that occasionally happens. Then I see some smoke coming out from under the hood. So I grab my fire extinguisher from behind the passenger seat, pop the hood, pull the extinguisher pin, and run to the front of the hood. When I opened the hood there were flames shooting out from near the distributor all the way to the hood. So I start shooting the extinguisher in the general area of the flames, after using about half of it they went away then flared up again. I ran to the other side of the car, through the cloud of smoke and extinguisher junk, and emptied the extinguisher into the engine bay and the fire finally went out. It was probably burning for less than 30 seconds. Then some lady called the fire department a cop came in about 1 minute and took my info and they came in about 3 minutes and didn't need to do anything they just took my license info and asked me if the battery was disconnected, it was. The cop called AAA for me and it was flatbedded home. In the driveway I hosed off all the baking soda and junk. The junk was on for probably less than an hour. Luckily as of right now I do not think there is much damage. All that I need it a distributor since the 12v wires got burnt, fuel line, clean or replace my K&N air filter, and maybe put a new temp sending unit lead on if it got burnt. Hopefully the baking soda junk didn't have enough time to ruin the electronics. What happened was the fuel line where it connects to the carb feed rail thing sprung a leak and caught fire.











After the hosing


« Last Edit: May 27, 2009 - 09:48:22 PM by bordin34 »

1973 Charger SE Brougham Black 400 auto
1974 Charger SE Brougham Blue 318 auto-SOLD




Offline Oldschool

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:11:45 PM »
Bummer ...    :crying:   At least more damage wasn't done...   :thumbsup:

As a 30 year firefighter (retired) I do have a little advice for you.  Wash off the extinguisher residue asap.  Some of those compounds are very corrosive on metal and paint.  Make sure you get all of it off.....     :2cents:   
Ken  --  In Georgia

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wagesofsin

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:14:17 PM »
wow, that sucks and is actually good news at the same time (though it doesnt seem like it). you found the leak, and hopefully nothing was totalled in the process. sometimes thats the way it goes. nice car b.t.w. hopefully, once you remedy the minor damage, you will remain trouble free. and im glad it wasnt worse, and no'one was hurt.  :2thumbs:

Alaskan_TA

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:19:48 PM »
That sucks.

Listen to OS, the bad part is that the powder is so fine it gets into EVERYTHING. Undo stuff like your bulkhead connectors & HOSE them out, then hit them with WD-40 to disipate the water. Use Dilectric (sp) grease when you reconnect the wiring connections too.

Offline bordin34

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:23:30 PM »
The extinguisher residue it all hosed off that is what the last two pictures are of. Hopefully none of the electronics got damaged.

1973 Charger SE Brougham Black 400 auto
1974 Charger SE Brougham Blue 318 auto-SOLD

Offline bb71challenger

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:24:52 PM »
Oh dude that sucks. The good thing is it looks like you got the fire out in a big hurry. I bet it didnt even burn 30 seconds from the looks of it. Sorry that happened to you. Glad you got it home safe and sound though.
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Offline AARCuda340+6

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:29:16 PM »
Glad you got the fire out quick.
That is one of my worst nightmares having my car go up in flames.
Glad you had a fire extinguisher with you.
You can call me RAY or RAYMOND or RAZOR or THE ZOR!
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Offline Moparal

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:32:35 PM »
Thank God your ok. A fuel fire under the hood could of been worse. Lucky the engine killed so the fuel pump quit.  Glad to see you had a fire extinguisher in your car. I carry one to

Offline vinb

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:41:44 PM »
Glad you got a handle on that fast, that could have been BIG trouble.
Well your new name should be speedy..
I never had a fire extinguisher in the Cuda up until last week. Now I'm glad I got one now, you never know.......
Get her fixed up and go cruisin.....

Offline 71chally416

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:44:32 PM »
Every car with a Holley carb should have a fire extinguisher  :2thumbs:
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Offline 73Chally

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:46:57 PM »
I keep saying I need to get an extinguisher.  Well, guess what, I'm getting one tomorrow.  I'm glad you are okay and the car is not totaled  :2thumbs: .

wagesofsin

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2009 - 09:57:08 PM »
Every car with a Holley carb should have a fire extinguisher  :2thumbs:




?      i have had about 8 gazillion of em and have have minimal problems. i dont get it.

Offline DAYLEY/CHALLENGER

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Re: My Car Caught on FIRE
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2009 - 10:37:46 PM »
Could have been worse.........Glad everything turned out that well.  Reminds me to get an extinguisher too...............
Dave or David

Offline 426HEMI

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Re: My Car Caught on FIRE
« Reply #13 on: May 27, 2009 - 10:41:09 PM »
 :iagree:  Could have been much worse.  Glad it was not worse for you.
Got a pretty good start on my M46 optioned Barracuda restoration but now it is on hold till I can gather more funds.  Still need a few parts for it.  SIU Graduate 75 AAS Automotive Tech, 94 BS Advanced Tech Studies, 1997 MSED Workforce Education and Development

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Offline JoltinJoe

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Re: My Car Caught of FIRE
« Reply #14 on: May 27, 2009 - 10:52:09 PM »
Every car with a Holley carb should have a fire extinguisher  :2thumbs:
:roflsmiley:

The worst nightmare.  Glad you had the extinguisher and weren't hurt.

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