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brettsvw
Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2007
Posts: 2145
Location: Florida
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 Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:28 am Post subject: Re: Dark Green Barndoor in FL caught fire |
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| obus wrote: |
| brettsvw wrote: |
We had a three bus caravan heading to VolksBlat in Miami when My friends bus caught fire.
Emptied three fire extinguishers and the fire just laughed at us.
It was a sad day indeed for German the owner of bus.
I was informed the bus will be saved depending on what title insurer decides on. There is a company here in Florida that can dip the whole bus in different liquid baths to treat and seal heated metal.
We have two videos of bus burning, My stomach turns every time I watch them. |
oh thats terrible that the fire extinguishers didnt even help. The poor owner. |
This is the three of us at Bulli Brigade 2017.
67 Kombi-Juan / 53 Kombi-German / 59 Kombi-Me
German is one of the nicest of guys to meet and hangout with, Our hearts were heavy with sadness for him, everyone we met at the VolksBlast show were feeling it also.
_________________
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My 59 kombi build.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=635003&highlight=
My buggy build.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=558601&highlight=
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=289807
Last edited by brettsvw on Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:43 am; edited 1 time in total |
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sled
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2005
Posts: 6179
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:29 am Post subject: Re: Dark Green Barndoor in FL caught fire |
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| brettsvw wrote: |
We had a three bus caravan heading to VolksBlat in Miami when My friends bus caught fire.
Emptied three fire extinguishers and the fire just laughed at us.
It was a sad day indeed for German the owner of bus.
I was informed the bus will be saved depending on what title insurer decides on. There is a company here in Florida that can dip the whole bus in different liquid baths to treat and seal heated metal.
We have two videos of bus burning, My stomach turns every time I watch them. |
I am in no way implying that you guys didn't do enough... Im curious though if you have any ideas how it started? sounds like it was fed by fuel then? what kind of carb and/or fuel line set up was he running?
also, did you have the extinguishers rated for all different kinds of fuels?
wondering for educational purposes
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drive your split. |
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brettsvw
Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2007
Posts: 2145
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 10:23 am Post subject: Re: Dark Green Barndoor in FL caught fire |
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| sled wrote: |
| brettsvw wrote: |
We had a three bus caravan heading to VolksBlat in Miami when My friends bus caught fire.
Emptied three fire extinguishers and the fire just laughed at us.
It was a sad day indeed for German the owner of bus.
I was informed the bus will be saved depending on what title insurer decides on. There is a company here in Florida that can dip the whole bus in different liquid baths to treat and seal heated metal.
We have two videos of bus burning, My stomach turns every time I watch them. |
I am in no way implying that you guys didn't do enough... Im curious though if you have any ideas how it started? sounds like it was fed by fuel then? what kind of carb and/or fuel line set up was he running?
also, did you have the extinguishers rated for all different kinds of fuels?
wondering for educational purposes |
I was about a half mile ahead before I noticed German was pulled over, we were on a busy divided highway. When I seen flames shoot 10ft in the air from the drivers-side engine vent I immediately turned around and drove alongside the road in the grass as fast as I could (not a smooth ride at 40mph). By the time I reach the bus we could not get engine lid open. spraying into vents would not put the fire out. You would have to of been there to know how hot it was trying to get within 3 feet of the fire.
We were in such shock no-one thought about removing the front seat or the rear cargo mat because our attention was focused at the back of the bus.
I have had two fires in the past with great results in putting the fires out.
Engine lid has to be open to directly hit the source. It being a barndoor, fuel tank is on drivers side near the engine lid. We watched as the fire was shooting out the drivers-side engine vent.
We just topped our tanks not even 10 minutes before and the fuel hose coming out of the tank was burnt thru fueling the fire. Fire marshal told us very little fuel hit the ground.
Off the shelf fire extinguishers and a very large extinguisher from a local business close by.
I have since ordered a 6ft blazecut from smallcar
_________________
.
My 59 kombi build.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=635003&highlight=
My buggy build.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=558601&highlight=
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=289807 |
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Lind
Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000
Posts: 9915
Location: idaho
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:14 pm Post subject: Re: Dark Green Barndoor in FL caught fire |
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This totally sucks. My condolences to the bus' owner.
unfortunately with barndoors, you can't turn off the fuel from the cab like you can with later buses.
_________________
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Wanted:
Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
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56samba
Samba Member
Joined: June 25, 2015
Posts: 262
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 3:47 am Post subject: Re: Dark Green Barndoor in FL caught fire |
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| brettsvw wrote: |
| sled wrote: |
| brettsvw wrote: |
We had a three bus caravan heading to VolksBlat in Miami when My friends bus caught fire.
Emptied three fire extinguishers and the fire just laughed at us.
It was a sad day indeed for German the owner of bus.
I was informed the bus will be saved depending on what title insurer decides on. There is a company here in Florida that can dip the whole bus in different liquid baths to treat and seal heated metal.
We have two videos of bus burning, My stomach turns every time I watch them. |
I am in no way implying that you guys didn't do enough... Im curious though if you have any ideas how it started? sounds like it was fed by fuel then? what kind of carb and/or fuel line set up was he running?
also, did you have the extinguishers rated for all different kinds of fuels?
wondering for educational purposes |
I was about a half mile ahead before I noticed German was pulled over, we were on a busy divided highway. When I seen flames shoot 10ft in the air from the drivers-side engine vent I immediately turned around and drove alongside the road in the grass as fast as I could (not a smooth ride at 40mph). By the time I reach the bus we could not get engine lid open. spraying into vents would not put the fire out. You would have to of been there to know how hot it was trying to get within 3 feet of the fire.
We were in such shock no-one thought about removing the front seat or the rear cargo mat because our attention was focused at the back of the bus.
I have had two fires in the past with great results in putting the fires out.
Engine lid has to be open to directly hit the source. It being a barndoor, fuel tank is on drivers side near the engine lid. We watched as the fire was shooting out the drivers-side engine vent.
We just topped our tanks not even 10 minutes before and the fuel hose coming out of the tank was burnt thru fueling the fire. Fire marshal told us very little fuel hit the ground.
Off the shelf fire extinguishers and a very large extinguisher from a local business close by.
I have since ordered a 6ft blazecut from smallcar |
Must be a terrible situation. I also remember a 56 samba bus burning out and it's just like you said, you don't think about removing the seats or so in such a shocking situation.
Always asking myself, what the best method is to stop the fire. Maybe not opening the engine lid and covering the vent. I imagine there's a big effect like in the chimney? |
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brettsvw
Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2007
Posts: 2145
Location: Florida
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