Truck Fires

[Mr. Ford95]

I bring this up because we have had 3 truck fires in the last week here in VA near the 133. The first was from a brake problem. Never heard about the 2nd. Today was the worst of the 3, thankfully all 3 drivers got out safely. I witness today's and must say that it put a definite scare in me at how fast it went up. The only thing left was the Cat engine still showing it's bright yellow and frame. Somehow the trailer only managed to be seriously sorched thru out. Appears he had an electrical problem that caused the fire.

The one thing I noticed with all three was that the drivers did not attempt to unhitch the trailer and get the truck away. Maybe the first 2 didn't have time but I was taught that if need be and the fire permits, unlock the jaws and drive out from under the trailer, forget even trying to lower the landing gear. Get out from under it as fast as possible and get the unit separated to save at least one of the 2. Companies would rather replace a landing gear than a whole trailer along with a truck if it's the truck on fire. If the trailer is on fire, replacing a trailer is better than replacing a truck with it and the landing gear won't matter anyways if the trailer is burning. I know the one today didn't have time, no sooner than the truck had stopped, it was completely engulfed.

Ya'll be careful out there.

[Jumbo]

Who the he!! would take that chance. Would there be something in the trailer worth saving. Like 300 boxes of toilet tissue. That is what insurance is for.

[inmate1577]

Let it burn. The only thing I'm going to save is my laptop, pictures of my kid and my cellphone.

The whole shebang can go up for all I care.

Weenie Roast anyone?

[Mackman]

Let it burn. The only thing I'm going to save is my laptop, pictures of my kid and my cellphone.

The whole shebang can go up for all I care.

Weenie Roast anyone?

agree 100% i dont get paid enough to worry about there truck.

[inmate1577]

But if I'm carrying hazmat. I'll leave a PostIt on the windshield

[inmate1577]

But if I'm carrying hazmat. I'll leave a PostIt on the windshield

[Doghouse]

Burn baby burn,....I wouldn't even try to drive my own truck away,...assuming that it could still move while burning up.
Its why we all pay waaaaaaay too much insurance!!, might as well use it for a real incident.

[Roadhog]

Drove past a couple Truck fires myself lately. Both were in on Hwy.80 west Illinios, and not too far apart....for some odd reason.

You do not want to breathe any of that smoke. Most deadly smoke there is.

[Orangetxguy]

Back in 2004, while in business with my Sis & her hubby...we lost a 99 Century to fire. It was an electrical fire, that started with the starter shorting out. My brother-in-law had started the truck in preperation for heading out to load for California. The truck was fully engulfed, except for part of the headache rack and the drive tires, by the time the FD showed up. The FD took 3 minutes to arrive, from the time 911 was called (by a passing commuter). By the time the FD was pumping water on the headache rack and drive tires..it had been a total of about 9 minutes from the time the fire started. The commuter was sitting at a traffic signal, within line of sight of the truck lot, and saw the fire blow out from under the hood of the truck...called within seconds of the fire starting. My sister was standing on the back deck smoking a cig and drinking a cup of coffee, when she smelled the smoke....looked across the yard and saw the flames from the truck fire.....400 yards away.


Who's gonna take time to drop a trailer, when the friggin truck is on fire?

Not me...nope...Not Me.

We replaced that Century with a 2000 Pete 379...with the insurance settlement and a ton of luck.

[silvan]

You do not want to breathe any of that smoke. Most deadly smoke there is.

No driver, the most deadly smoke there is is the smoke the companies blow up your ass to get you to sign on with them. Nothing burning in a truck or trailer could be any worse.

I haven't heard anything about Horton fan clutches in a long time. I think this means I'm old now.

[fireman932003]

Would you make sure all your doors are locked in your house if it was on fire????? NOPE! You would get the h*** out! Why should you try and drive a burning truck?? Not me! Let it burn!

[coastie]

I was pulling a Old Flatbed and the seals messed up on it. I had another driver pass me yelled at me over the CB Hey Flatbed, your wheels are smoking bad and that Drum is Red as a Cherry back there. I stopped and walked to the back of the trailer smoke still coming out as notomorrow. Then I saw some flame so I ran and got the fire extingusher and got the fire out. But damagews been done, Pulled out to go to the nearest Truck stop, Ext 199 or 200 there on I-81. Not ext 205 before that. A truck stop that has a Western Star Dealership next door. 2 days and 1600.00 later we pull out of there. My Boss asked me why didn't you just disconnect and let the sucker Burn... Their maiden Voyage into Flatbeding. They mostly did Reefers. Out of the 3 trucks they had, I was the only one who had experence at Flatbeds.

It happens. just got to becareful.

[Mr. Ford95]

Ok, so don't try it if your a company driver but as an O/O, I would try to save my truck if the trailer is going up. You usually won't have time to unhitch from the trailer if the truck goes up, especially with an electrical fire anyways. Just wondering what others would do in this situation since it seems to be happening more and more.

And for the record, the one yesterday was not electrical, the driver had ran off the road into the guardrail where he ripped open his fuel tank which ignited with the sparks from metal on metal grinding. A lot of us thought he had an electrical fire and ran into the guardrail trying to just get stopped so he could get out.

[Jumbo]

My boss once told us if your truck starts on fire call me so I can pull mine up next to yours. But maybe if the rear of the trailer is on fire you could possibly drop it and get the tractor away.

[spencerian]

If mine catches fire I'll get on the CB ...and quick like!

More than likely I'll be hauling steaks or beef.

"Break on 19...I need some barbeque sauce and A1"

[coastie]

Ok, so don't try it if your a company driver but as an O/O, I would try to save my truck if the trailer is going up. You usually won't have time to unhitch from the trailer if the truck goes up, especially with an electrical fire anyways. Just wondering what others would do in this situation since it seems to be happening more and more.

And for the record, the one yesterday was not electrical, the driver had ran off the road into the guardrail where he ripped open his fuel tank which ignited with the sparks from metal on metal grinding. A lot of us thought he had an electrical fire and ran into the guardrail trying to just get stopped so he could get out.

When I had my little Fire I mentioned just above yuor last post, I was working for an O/O. They told me I should have let the trailer Burn, that what insurance is for.

My wife was sleeping when I stopped. When I got back to the cab to get my Fire exstingusher I woke her for I was going to get her to help disconnect of need be, but I got the fire out.

[silvan]

Truck stop, Ext 199 or 200 there on I-81.

The Lee Hi at exit 195.

I've put out a wheel fire too. Something went wrong with a brake on my tractor, and it was dragging. It didn't cam over, I'm sure, so I don't know what really caused it, but I figure it was cold-related. I heard a tire blow, looked, saw sparks in my side mirror, but the sparks were actually flames.

It caught one of the inside drives on fire, but the flames had just started going, and I actually got the fire out with my little extinguisher. I was surprised just how little the thing was. Pffft, it's all gone. Not enough extinguishing compound for anything, really, but I guess it was just enough.

It was unusually cold for that area that night, I think it was 7 F outside. I was parked on frozen mud beside a cemetery, and very grateful I had escaped having my whole truck go up. I was glad to have heat, although laying in the bunk in those cascading waves of burnt brake stench for several hours was one of the more miserable experiences of my life. The smell was so thick you could eat it.

One thing I remember most about that night is how nobody on the radio took me seriously at all. "My truck is on fire." "Ba ba booey ba ba booey ba ba booey." "MY TRUCK IS ON FIRE!!!!" "Shut up stupid!" This was before cell phones, and the last pay phone I could think of was miles behind me on dark country road. I was afraid I might not make the round trip with no more winter clothing than I had on that night. Fortunately, I caught a ride with a nice but very mysterious little man, who even lent me money for the pay phone.

[coastie]

Truck stop, Ext 199 or 200 there on I-81.

The Lee Hi at exit 195.

One thing I remember most about that night is how nobody on the radio took me seriously at all. "My truck is on fire." "Ba ba booey ba ba booey ba ba booey." "MY TRUCK IS ON FIRE!!!!" "Shut up stupid!" This was before cell phones, and the last pay phone I could think of was miles behind me on dark country road. I was afraid I might not make the round trip with no more winter clothing than I had on that night. Fortunately, I caught a ride with a nice but very mysterious little man, who even lent me money for the pay phone.

Yes that is the Truck Stop. It's been a long time since I been that way. The Shop said if I had gone another 5 miles, I would had a wheels flying past me.

Some people will be idiots.. I am one who will help out anyone if I can.

[silvan]

Yes that is the Truck Stop. It's been a long time since I been that way.

Same for me, even though it's in my back yard. That's a story in of itself, but the short version is I've been trying very hard to avoid heading north from here. I have yankeephobia I think.

Some people will be idiots.. I am one who will help out anyone if I can.

Me too, but we're a rare breed anymore.

I don't know if it matters, but I'd like to point out that I broke down somewhere in rural North Carolina, not near the Lee Hi. I was talking about two different things there.

Drive safe.

[Ian Williams]

Before I became a City driver in Reno I would smell and see drivers burning up their brakes bad going down Donner to Sac on a regular basis.

I was told by the line driver I did my training runs with that ever few months someone has a full blown fire every few months.