Death of a P38

[TheTree]

This is what my P38 looked like at about 9PM last night on the Mt White exit of the M1 :(

I have no idea how it started but by the time I stopped it was way too advanced for a 1KG extinguisher to put out

It was a massive job to put it out, four Fire Appliances, cops, Roads and Traffic guys, Freeway exit closed etc

They said it was the hardest vehicle fire they have ever had to put out and they average about one a week. It took about 90 mins to get it completely out, 70ltrs of fuel burning and running down the gutter alight :eek: So it was a beast to the very end

I have managed to salvage the rear bar and carrier arms, they will need a cleanup and re-paint, but are in good shape

Insurance payout will be around 10K it seems, so what next is the big question, most likely another P38 i think !

A rather sad
Steve

[daf11e]

So sorry Steve , but as long as you and yours are ok it can be replaced..............best of luck for your next venture!

[Hoges]

It's a frightening experience...glad there were no injuries...except for your pride...and the many hrs you put into it.
good luck mate!

EDIT: on the bright side... A Viking funeral is most appropriate for a Thor engine P38 don't you think? ..:eek::twisted::wasntme:

[davidsonsm]

Very sorry to hear. Did the fire originate in the same spot as your other recent fire? Obviously an issue. Hope the insurer plays fair. Not a lot they can say really. Every cloud has a silver lining - a new P38 in the pipeline.

[Grumbles]

Yikes - what a fire. That is terrible news!

On the other hand the fun search for a new P38 begins. The P38 world is now your oyster. Choose carefully, bargain hard and awaaay you go.:D

[TheTree]

It's a frightening experience...glad there were no injuries...except for your pride...and the many hrs you put into it.
good luck mate!

EDIT: on the bright side... A Viking funeral is most appropriate for a Thor engine P38 don't you think? ..:eek::twisted::wasntme:

Mate

I may already have found one, it's a "Prince of Darkness" model though :p

Steve

[TheTree]

Very sorry to hear. Did the fire originate in the same spot as your other recent fire? Obviously an issue. Hope the insurer plays fair. Not a lot they can say really. Every cloud has a silver lining - a new P38 in the pipeline.

I am not sure by the time i stopped the fire was too well advanced for my little extinguisher to do anything and by the time is was out there was just a mass of melted / missing metal under the bonnet

Hoping for a silver lining for sure :D

Steve

[poleonpom]

Wow, your photo looks like something out of a Stephen King movie! Good to hear that it's only your pride that's a little crispy. If I saw mine go up it would be mixed emotions, but P38s get under your skin. Good luck with your search :-)

[mtb_gary]

Steve

Just reading your post whilst having lunch. Wow, that's devastating. As others have mentioned glad to see no-one was injured! On the positive side there's not much you don't know about the p38 when it comes to replacing it ;). Good luck with the search.

Gary

[daf11e]

Steve there is an interesting read on RRNet about a fire on June 7 "new sticker for p38 owners".....his car caught fire....started at the fuse box and gutted the car. (Tried but couldn't link it.)....May be a good idea to check fuse boxes ? Just a thought.

[TheTree]

Steve there is an interesting read on RRNet about a fire on June 7 "new sticker for p38 owners".....his car caught fire....started at the fuse box and gutted the car. (Tried but couldn't link it.)....May be a good idea to check fuse boxes ? Just a thought.

Yes I saw that post as well I replaced my fusebox a few months ago so I think it was ok

Steve

[TheTree]

If you would like to see how one burns ....

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152319327522986

:confused:
Steve

[FANTOM P38]

Devastating just watching your video couldnt watch it all!
Glad to hear no-one was injured, hope you didn't lose any other valuables in the fire. I experienced a small fire in car many years ago but managed to get under control that was scary enough can't imagine how you must have felt!

I suppose you'll never find out the initial cause after that devastation!

Hope you can find a suitable replacement, best of luck.
Martin

[PeterH]

Oh noooo! That's not good, one minute you are driving your P38, next it's a ball of flames :(
Glad there were no injuries, but what a shock that must have been.
Good luck with what you decide to do next.
I'm getting a fire extinguisher.

[TheTree]

I was kind of numb while it was happening and an attitude of acceptance is the best way to avoid stress IMHO

It has happened and there is nothing I can do about it so stressing is pretty pointless

Not that I am a exactly happy about it :(

Still there are a few on the market and it seems to be a choice between various milkwagons and the odd one which has been worked on

There are some overpriced examples out there, to quote a famous Aussie "They're dreaming" :p

Steve

[Grumbles]

There are some overpriced examples out there, to quote a famous Aussie "They're dreaming" :p


Over priced but perhaps in great nick with low kays and been for sale for a while = perhaps make your self an opportunity by waving cash under the sellers nose. Good Luck!:D

[bruce p38]

Bad Luck Steve
Thats a lot of hard earned to loose
Talk about sobering !!!
Onward and upward hey
Good luck with your new wagon

Bruce

[jsp]

holy moly!

I have unfortunately seen several car fires over the past 15 years but that just seemed to have a life of its own once they hit it with the water.

Was it just al the fuel pouring out?

Glad everyone got out ok!

[redandy3575]

Not good Steve. ...

At least you got rid of the car in one hit. I have to sell mine off.


Ooopps......don't say that one too loud. Might get this thread deleted.:wasntme:

[TheTree]

holy moly!

I have unfortunately seen several car fires over the past 15 years but that just seemed to have a life of its own once they hit it with the water.

Was it just al the fuel pouring out?

Glad everyone got out ok!

Yes a combo of burning aluminium alloy and 70 litres of petrol and 50 litres of LPG made for quite a fire. They said they average a fire a week on the M1 and this was the hardest to put out that they had ever deal with!

The fuel was running down the gutter and reigniting as well, but the RTA guys said they have runnoff traps to deal with that.

Steve

[TheTree]

Not good Steve. ...

At least you got rid of the car in one hit. I have to sell mine off.
Ooopps......don't say that one too loud. Might get this thread deleted.:wasntme:

Yes mate I won't be needing that rear diff I was enquiring about :(

Steve

[redandy3575]

Yes mate I won't be needing that rear diff I was enquiring about :(

Steve

Oh well......never mind!!

It's just another chapter in the history books. You're right about not stressing, rather excited that you can get another one. Though you'd be stressing if you weren't insured.

Love to hear the story around a campfire.

[sheerluck]

.......Love to hear the story around a campfire.

Geez, talk about insensitive. :p

[TheTree]

Geez, talk about insensitive. :p

Well if the fire is not going well enough we can always throw some P38 alloy guards on it :wasntme:

Steve

[davidsonsm]

Good job the lpg tank didn't explode.

[TheTree]

Good job the lpg tank didn't explode.

The LPG tanks have some kind of blowoff safety valve in them, one of the firies said "yeah we knew it had LPG we could see the blue flames"

You can see the blue flames in the video:(

Steve

[TheTree]

My final sight of the beast :(

[incisor]

certainly did a number on that one :p

[davidsonsm]

[QUOTE=SteveFarmer;2205209]The LPG tanks have some kind of blowoff safety valve in them, one of the firies said "yeah we knew it had LPG we could see the blue flames"

You can see the blue flames in the video:(

Steve[/

Yeah - most LPG tanks do have a relief valve for day to day expansion/contraction. But it isn't always specified correctly for flame envelopment - when a BLEVE can occur.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf3WKTwHpIU]

[sheerluck]

My final sight of the beast :(

Where's the problem, Steve? Scratch 'n' Dent will get that looking right in no time! :D

[redandy3575]

My final sight of the beast :(

Does this mean we can get a red hot deal on this one...:lol2:

Sorry mate.....thought it might cheer you up.

[Lionelgee]

G'day Steve,

Sorry to read of the loss of your vehicle. There was some luck involved within the misfortune in that you could find a spot on a busy road where you could get safely out of the way from traffic.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Pierre]

Steve, I'm glad to hear that you weren't hurt being heroic, because that quite often happens. I hope your search for a replacement is fruitful.


Cheers


Pete

[PhilipA]

When I was in Dept Civil aviation a looong time ago, I was taught that foam was the only way to put out fires like that by smothering and cutting off oxygen. All airport fire trucks have lots of foam available.

They had no chance with water.

One would think that the powers that be would issue some foam to the CFAs that are near expressways , or can't the pumps mix it in?

Regards Philip A

[TheTree]

When I was in Dept Civil aviation a looong time ago, I was taught that foam was the only way to put out fires like that by smothering and cutting off oxygen. All airport fire trucks have lots of foam available.

They had no chance with water.

One would think that the powers that be would issue some foam to the CFAs that are near expressways , or can't the pumps mix it in?

Regards Philip A

Philip

They used foam as well as a 9KG powder extinguisher and an entire truck full of water which they had to refill to keep going. So they emptied a lot of water on it.

Maybe they ran out of foam, but they are well equipped and experienced, they say they deal with about one fire a week on that stretch of the M1 alone.

They also said this was by far the hardest fire to put out they had ever attended

Steve

[bee utey]

Steve, sorry to read about your loss. My guess is that your fuel pump relief valve was sticking and so when operating on LPG it overpressured the fuel rail. Because you can't see the horrible little plastic fuel line and connector behind the manifold you'd never spot a slight leak in advance. It would them spray fuel all over the coil packs leading to a fairly rapid demise. On petrol you likely wouldn't have much chance to build up enough pressure to leak that bad.

Buy a GEMS one next time, engine access is loads better for servicing and inspection...:)

[TheTree]

The ferocity of the fire and the fact that there were no blue flames from the LPG lead me to think it was a fuel fire, so this may well be what happened.

I am certainly looking at GEMS, especially now that we seem to have busted the myth that they are less reliable :angel:

Steve

[ozscott]

Sorry to hear about your RR mate. Bloody scary seeing vehicles go up.

LPG tanks are safer than petrol. I dont have an issue with them in both my Disco's - the D2 inside and the D1 outside.

Cheers

[HEYVJ]

Hooley Dooley. Like everyone has already said, great that you're okay and it was insured. Sounds like your Rangie will be the source of a good yarn with the Firies for a while.

Cheers,
HEYVJ.