can I vent here?

trigger643 · 01-01-2007, 10:23 PM

while taking my daughter back to shreveport today, my car caught fire. No big thing. Cars always catch fire. Just not mine. A Colt 1911 SER# 842 and a Luger DWM 1915/20 Police Simpson rework along with my trusty carry Sig 226 were consumed on the configration.

Don't mind the car so much as I had sold the Colt and Luger and were delivering them to the buyer.

And that Sig was a pretty darned good gun.

Unfortunately this happened on the off ramp in Lufkin Texas where the Ford dealer is.

I point to the firemen, I point to the Grand Marquis. As it turns out we got on way within 45 minutes. Those firemen were pretty sharp and the sales lady sharper...

My bride, Melody, is impressed. I only cried for 20 minutes and only for the guns. Geico will not cover the contents of the vehicle. Remember this when transporting $9,000.00 in firearms in an $8,000 Ford Taurus.

But I have a very nice Grand Marquis now. So Happy New Year Everyone. Shucks...

Edward Tinker · 01-01-2007, 10:31 PM

Jeeezzz, that is horrible Glen, I am sorry

John Sabato · 01-01-2007, 10:47 PM

Gosh, what a terrible way to start a new year! My condolences.

lugerholsterrepair · 01-01-2007, 10:48 PM

Glen, WOW! Sorry to hear about that...Really a tragedy. Musta been fast. Jerry Burney

lew1 · 01-01-2007, 11:02 PM

Look at the bright side - your daughter and you are OK.

hqbmw · 01-02-2007, 10:37 PM

Glen,

I made my living in the BMW business for most of my life. I always instructed my clients to never put out a car fire, but to get themself and their loved ones to safety. Cars can be replaced.

The key word here is "loved ones." You and your daughter got out, but left a couple of loved ones behind. But, alas, just like the Taurus, the guns can be replaced; your lives canot be replaced. You did the right thing in saving your daughter. Somehow, sometime , the guns will be replaced due to your actions of saving lives first.

I have always carried a fire extinguisher in my cars, but funny as it may seem, each time I emptied them was on somebody elses cars!

Jack Hiles
Mesa AZ

Edward Tinker · 01-02-2007, 11:49 PM

I have seen a lot of wrecks (while at work) and seldom seen one "burn up" like in the movies. When I see a wreck and folks are sreaming, get out, get out it'll blow, I just calm them down and tell them to slow down. That said, I have also seen 3 cars from start to finish burn (1 by arson, 2 by engine fires), and all three were burning bright by five minutes. Once a car decides to start to burn, get the heck out...

Ed

John Sabato · 01-03-2007, 08:16 AM

Oh I see now... you guys are talking about the loss of the firearms... when I said it was a lousy way to start a new year, I was talking about having to purchase a FORD...

Seriously... my deepest condolences on this firearms tragedy... and congrats for getting out safely with your family. It was the smartest thing you could have done.

I had the unfortunate experience of arriving on an accident scene on the Autostrada in northern Italy where a driver had fallen asleep at the wheel... in the front seat with him was his future son-in-law... both escaped from the vehicle and survived, but the occupants of the rear seat were rendered unconscience... the vehicle rode up a guard rail and sheared open the gas tank... the car went up in flames and the wife of the driver, the mother of the bride, and the bride were consumed within 3 minutes, despite our best efforts to enter the car and get them out. Other drivers who had stopped had to help me restrain the young man from attempting further rescue attempts (or a suicide attempt by going back to the car).

The rear doors were locked and the front seat area was engulfed in flames. The flames were so intense that we could stand no closer than about 50 feet... Both of the front seat occupants were taken via ambulance to a local hospital and treated for shock... I can only presume that they both required therapy for years...

The images of that night still haunt me.

trigger643 · 01-03-2007, 06:58 PM

John, fortunately my incident was not so dramatic. Check engine light, a sputting, coasting stop and flames up through the back of the hood. They were pretty much all over the underneath of the engine and worked back into the passenger compartment in no time (we were already out of the vehicle by then). Yep, kind of a toss up about lossing guns or buying a Ford! But this will be my 8th Ford in a row... My daughter kept pointing me to a laser red Mustang GT and my bride tried to get me to a late model camry. My mind set was such that I was thinking more along the lines of a rental and wanted something roomy and comfortable to continue the road trip...

Pete Ebbink · 01-03-2007, 07:21 PM

Years ago I drove a VW camper bus.

I got in the habit of having a house-sized fire extinguisher in that car.

When I sold the VW, I offered for $ 20 more to let the new Owner take the extinguisher. He declined but I told him he sould get one...as the rubber-hose sections in the fuel lines VW used had a tendency to crack witrh age & heat and spill fuel over the hot exhaust shrouds.

2 week after the sale, the buyer calls and let me know his VW bus melted down along the freeway due to an engine fire. He did not ask for a refund and he joked about the "told you so" bit...

That was over 25 years ago. There are fire extinguishers in all of our family cars. Never had to use them on our own vehicles (luckily...), but cannot tell you how many times I have stopped and helped others with their car fires.

Have one in our kitchen and in our garage as well. Can never be too safe around the house.

Extingushers need to be serviced and recharged periodically, as well.

Edward Tinker · 01-03-2007, 09:29 PM

Amen Pete. That reminds me, I need to buy one for the mustang...

Ed

minigun · 01-04-2007, 02:59 AM

That just sucks! Sorry to hear that, but glad you and daughter were ok.

I think I would have gone with the Camery! We have one and it is super smooth. Ford and Chevy just aint what they used to be. My police crown vic has 8K miles on it and it rattles and shakes horribly & it's already had to have the water pump replaced (I think it was this item and the mileage was around 6K). I'll probably never by another US auto maker made vehicle again unless something here changes.

01-01-2007, 10:23 PM	#1
trigger643 User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Murfreesboro Posts: 502 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	can I vent here? while taking my daughter back to shreveport today, my car caught fire. No big thing. Cars always catch fire. Just not mine. A Colt 1911 SER# 842 and a Luger DWM 1915/20 Police Simpson rework along with my trusty carry Sig 226 were consumed on the configration. Don't mind the car so much as I had sold the Colt and Luger and were delivering them to the buyer. And that Sig was a pretty darned good gun. Unfortunately this happened on the off ramp in Lufkin Texas where the Ford dealer is. I point to the firemen, I point to the Grand Marquis. As it turns out we got on way within 45 minutes. Those firemen were pretty sharp and the sales lady sharper... My bride, Melody, is impressed. I only cried for 20 minutes and only for the guns. Geico will not cover the contents of the vehicle. Remember this when transporting $9,000.00 in firearms in an $8,000 Ford Taurus. But I have a very nice Grand Marquis now. So Happy New Year Everyone. Shucks... __________________ "There are three reasons to own a gun: To protect yourself and your family, to hunt dangerous and delicious animals, and to keep the King of England out of your face." Ã¢?? Krusty the Clown

01-01-2007, 10:47 PM	#3
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,308 Times in 1,098 Posts	Gosh, what a terrible way to start a new year! My condolences. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

01-01-2007, 10:48 PM	#4
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,775 Thanks: 4,995 Thanked 3,133 Times in 1,439 Posts	Glen, WOW! Sorry to hear about that...Really a tragedy. Musta been fast. Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

01-01-2007, 11:02 PM	#5
lew1 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,108 Thanks: 82 Thanked 204 Times in 112 Posts	Look at the bright side - your daughter and you are OK. __________________ charlie

01-02-2007, 10:37 PM	#6
hqbmw User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 228 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Glen, I made my living in the BMW business for most of my life. I always instructed my clients to never put out a car fire, but to get themself and their loved ones to safety. Cars can be replaced. The key word here is "loved ones." You and your daughter got out, but left a couple of loved ones behind. But, alas, just like the Taurus, the guns can be replaced; your lives canot be replaced. You did the right thing in saving your daughter. Somehow, sometime , the guns will be replaced due to your actions of saving lives first. I have always carried a fire extinguisher in my cars, but funny as it may seem, each time I emptied them was on somebody elses cars! Jack Hiles Mesa AZ __________________ Jack Hiles Mesa AZ

01-01-2007, 10:31 PM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,595 Times in 2,116 Posts	Jeeezzz, that is horrible Glen, I am sorry

01-02-2007, 11:49 PM	#7
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,595 Times in 2,116 Posts	I have seen a lot of wrecks (while at work) and seldom seen one "burn up" like in the movies. When I see a wreck and folks are sreaming, get out, get out it'll blow, I just calm them down and tell them to slow down. That said, I have also seen 3 cars from start to finish burn (1 by arson, 2 by engine fires), and all three were burning bright by five minutes. Once a car decides to start to burn, get the heck out... Ed

01-03-2007, 08:16 AM	#8
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,308 Times in 1,098 Posts	Oh I see now... you guys are talking about the loss of the firearms... when I said it was a lousy way to start a new year, I was talking about having to purchase a FORD... Seriously... my deepest condolences on this firearms tragedy... and congrats for getting out safely with your family. It was the smartest thing you could have done. I had the unfortunate experience of arriving on an accident scene on the Autostrada in northern Italy where a driver had fallen asleep at the wheel... in the front seat with him was his future son-in-law... both escaped from the vehicle and survived, but the occupants of the rear seat were rendered unconscience... the vehicle rode up a guard rail and sheared open the gas tank... the car went up in flames and the wife of the driver, the mother of the bride, and the bride were consumed within 3 minutes, despite our best efforts to enter the car and get them out. Other drivers who had stopped had to help me restrain the young man from attempting further rescue attempts (or a suicide attempt by going back to the car). The rear doors were locked and the front seat area was engulfed in flames. The flames were so intense that we could stand no closer than about 50 feet... Both of the front seat occupants were taken via ambulance to a local hospital and treated for shock... I can only presume that they both required therapy for years... The images of that night still haunt me. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

01-03-2007, 06:58 PM	#9
trigger643 User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Murfreesboro Posts: 502 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	John, fortunately my incident was not so dramatic. Check engine light, a sputting, coasting stop and flames up through the back of the hood. They were pretty much all over the underneath of the engine and worked back into the passenger compartment in no time (we were already out of the vehicle by then). Yep, kind of a toss up about lossing guns or buying a Ford! But this will be my 8th Ford in a row... My daughter kept pointing me to a laser red Mustang GT and my bride tried to get me to a late model camry. My mind set was such that I was thinking more along the lines of a rental and wanted something roomy and comfortable to continue the road trip... __________________ "There are three reasons to own a gun: To protect yourself and your family, to hunt dangerous and delicious animals, and to keep the King of England out of your face." Ã¢?? Krusty the Clown

01-03-2007, 07:21 PM	#10
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Years ago I drove a VW camper bus. I got in the habit of having a house-sized fire extinguisher in that car. When I sold the VW, I offered for $ 20 more to let the new Owner take the extinguisher. He declined but I told him he sould get one...as the rubber-hose sections in the fuel lines VW used had a tendency to crack witrh age & heat and spill fuel over the hot exhaust shrouds. 2 week after the sale, the buyer calls and let me know his VW bus melted down along the freeway due to an engine fire. He did not ask for a refund and he joked about the "told you so" bit... That was over 25 years ago. There are fire extinguishers in all of our family cars. Never had to use them on our own vehicles (luckily...), but cannot tell you how many times I have stopped and helped others with their car fires. Have one in our kitchen and in our garage as well. Can never be too safe around the house. Extingushers need to be serviced and recharged periodically, as well.

01-03-2007, 09:29 PM	#11
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,595 Times in 2,116 Posts	Amen Pete. That reminds me, I need to buy one for the mustang... Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

01-04-2007, 02:59 AM	#12
minigun User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 424 Thanks: 16 Thanked 20 Times in 15 Posts	That just sucks! Sorry to hear that, but glad you and daughter were ok. I think I would have gone with the Camery! We have one and it is super smooth. Ford and Chevy just aint what they used to be. My police crown vic has 8K miles on it and it rattles and shakes horribly & it's already had to have the water pump replaced (I think it was this item and the mileage was around 6K). I'll probably never by another US auto maker made vehicle again unless something here changes.