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Car bursts into flames inside garage.
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Previously:
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...648#post216187
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...433#post204819
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...767#post152204
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...022#post202999
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...594#post197450
That is an absolutely terrifying thing to see. I own an auto repair shop and over the years I have had a fire happen twice. Both times I had a water hose handy (i know water and gasoline don't match) but both times the water hose saved my bacon.
The first time was a car on the lift, fanned water while pinching off line and once pinched washed the fire right out the door.
second time, car was on the ground, caught fire at the engine mounted fuel pump. Had my brother fan water down my arm as I reached in with my hand and plugged the fuel line as we rolled the car out of the shop. Kept my hand over the fuel hose end with water playing a fan until it burned out. Thankfully only some singed arm hair was the only loss. Todays newer vehicles with plastic fuel lines scare the crap out of me though.
A fire blanket might have fixed this,looks as though the shop is going to burn.
Obviously, no fire training whatever. And, as tooly said, a fire blanket could have save them much grief.
I used to repair outboard engines at an inland boat shop. Was training a new guy. Not very bright by the way. He had rebuilt the carbs on a big V-4. (Big for back then). Had it in the test tank. Back then we could just jumper cables to start the big ones. Hook up ground them hit the terminal on the starter. I was just watching him. He cranked it a bit but did not start. I suggested he use the primer bulb on the fuel hose. (Remember those). When he did that fuel ran out of the carbs. Thought to myself OH BOY! When he hit that starter with the jumper you know what happened. Then he ran screaming fire fire, right past the big CO2 fire extinguisher hanging next to the test tank. One quick blast the drama over but he was still screaming fire fire.
Maybe you had to be there but it was like a comedy.
Guy in black had something on fire in his hands. Looks like it caused oil (?) on the floor to ignite. He ran to get extinguisher (yay) and then aimed it at the car instead of the base of the fire (boo). Maybe wrong type of extinguisher too. Bad day.
Even with the wrong type of fire extinguisher it helps to know where they are instead of having to run all over the shop to find one. Spraying at the source first is part of fire and safety training. The poor kid in the shorts and t shirt seemed to be totally lostQuote:
Originally Posted by Inner
It is with foam, looked like a CO2 and all it does, as seen, is spread the fuel and flames further faster. Still at least it wasn't a 'Dutch oven' fire: https://youtu.be/GZ9-mW-cmdEQuote:
Originally Posted by Frank S
Just like all tools, you need the correct tool for the job and you need to know how to use it.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeiljohnUK
CO2 works very well for very specific types of fires. NOT good for big fires that are spreading rapidly. Not good for fires in paper, wood, or mixed materials like furnature, etc.
The CO2 works best on burning liquids especially if they are in a relatively contained space. They are perfect in a work shop where you are working with fuels etc.
And NO, we are not prepared for the EV fires, or for charging them or for disposal of the waste, we are just not ready for it.
P.A.S.S - Pull (the pin) Aim (at the base of the flame) Squeeze (the handle activating the valve) Sweep (back and forth). Nearly any fire extinguisher will allow a short suppression if not complete extinguishing of a fire. I was always taught that technically a fire extinguisher is a life saving device that can also be used to put out fires. The distance between or density of fire extinguishers in a building are calculated so that, if you are inside a burning building, you should be able to use that extinguisher to clear a path THROUGH the flames to either the next extinguisher or an exit. As a Safety Manager, most people I have trained don't know that, let alone how to properly use a fire extinguisher!
EVERY occupation has good, not as good and BAD workers.
Even fire inspectors have varying views on fire extinguishers. We had them in schools 2 times each year. They ALWAYS manage to find violations to write up. One guy wanted the "inspection" tags, on each unit initialed every month. He would actually checked the tag on every extinguisher. If you missed one tag, you got written up. Funny thing is, you do not have to actually inspect anything, you just have to initial the tag.
Then we got a new inspector. He did not even look at the tags. His philosophy was, don't mess around trying to fight the fire. Just get out and call the FD. He was a much better inspector. He found things that were actually a hazard that the first guy always missed because he spent his time looking at the tags.
As of when I was last employed, OSHA required monthly inspections of fire extinguishers. And that is still the case, apparently: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regul.../1910/1910.157 NFPA also requires the inspections of fire extinguishers for the various classes: https://www.nfpa.org/news-and-resear...nd-maintenanceQuote:
Originally Posted by hemmjo
I was the guy charged with inspecting the extinguishers, and getting them serviced or replaced as needed. I had to lay hands on each extinguisher in the plant (2 buildings) and make sure the hoses & nozzles were intact and usable/unblocked. Mud dauber wasps are a thing here. ;) Check that the gage was working/pressure in the correct zone, and that the charge in the extinguisher wasn't solidified. Turn it upside down, you should feel the charge move. If it didn't, give it a good thump, and try again. If an extinguisher failed, I had to replace it with one that was good, and update my list of extinguisher numbers and locations. Also maintain and update the extinguisher map. We were an industrial laundry, used dry powder extinguishers exclusively. Had a local company contracted to pick up our failed or out-dated extinguishers and fix or replace them, and do the pressure tests as needed. For a couple of years, I had copies of all the inspections I'd done on everything... including all the fire extinguisher inspection logs I'd done.
Came in handy. I have a non-repairable/non-rechargeable fire extinguisher in the doorway to my shop/kitchen, depending on which direction you're headed. Pressure gauge went off, and when I checked it, powder charge wasn't moving anymore, was about to throw it away when I dropped it. Pressure moved back into the correct zone, and the charge moved when I tipped it. So it's back in place.
Bill