Just Put A Car Fire Out

[Colt556]

My friend needed to rent a car for a couple days because her car needs to be in the shop. I took her over to Hertz at 38th/Lafayette Rd to pick up the rental and as we are checking it out an Impala comes in with a wisp of smoke coming from the hood. I smelled the electrical fire smell immediately and watched as the couple got out and walked into the rental place. I tell my friend that I think the car is on fire and she says she can smell it too. The guy comes out and opens the hood and more smoke begins to bellow out and a small flame begins to flicker near the firewall. There was probably 5-6 guys standing inside looking at the car with a bewildered look. I'm 55 and have been around the block a few times but all these young guys standing around were doing nothing at all. I go in the shop ask where the fire extinguisher was and one of the hipsters pointed to the wall. I grab it and twist the lock off, pull the pin as walking out to the now burning car and sweep the fire with the extinguisher. Fire flickered a bit so I swept it again and made sure it was out before returning the half empty bottle to the bewildered spectators standing inside. I just don't understand how so many people under 40 years of age can't think on their feet or do anything to help people in need. I'm leaving out a lot of the screaming and hysterics by the female occupant of the car or others standing around for brevity. The whole thing lasted about 5 minutes tops. I just shrugged off the handshakes and Thank Yous and got outta there before they tried to charge me for the use of the Fire Bottle!

 

[85t5mcss]

Hey, do me a favor? Lower your age limit for common sense in your OP. I'm sub 40 (barely) and I understand that a car fire isn't just a spectacle to stare at. Unless it's on the racetrack of course.

We are doomed, doomed, doomed. Glad someone was able to keep their wits about them.

 

[actaeon277]

Two bosses at work were watching a piece of equipment burn.
I asked why they weren't doing anything.
They said, it's contractor equipment, not our problem.

So I got a fire extinguisher, popped it --- no pressure
Grabbed the second one --- broken handle
Third one --- finally worked.

Put the equipment out, then yelled at the bosses.
It may not be ours, but it was against an electrical box and conduit, which is ours.
And, the burning equipment services the furnace. If it's burned up, it won't do it's job.
then our furnace is down.\
\
DUh!!!!

 

[hooky]

I'm always amazed at the lack of guy skills younger people display. It saddens me.

 

[Dolton916]

I was working in Chicago and we would have the operators run the loaders and tracked equipment up to the shop before days end so we didn't have to hunt them throughout the yard.
We're sitting in the shop one night eating dinner and we start smelling smoke... look out and the cab on one of the 966's is filling with smoke and flames are starting to flicker, we run out with extinguishers and of course its locked so we pop a corner window and start filling her with powder.
We leave a note for the maintenance manager and go home at shifts end believing we just saved the company $250K.
I come in the next day to see our BA telling the other guys the owners want us fired, saying we should have let it burn!
Apparently it was worth more to them totaled than just damaged.

 

[hornadylnl]

Yeah, more young people bashing.

 

[D2VW14_20]

Good job, although not a fan of your generalization as far as age. Some may be dumb. But no different than older folks trying to figure out new technology.

 

[88GT]

Did it look anything like this?

 

[actaeon277]

I was working in Chicago and we would have the operators run the loaders and tracked equipment up to the shop before days end so we didn't have to hunt them throughout the yard.
We're sitting in the shop one night eating dinner and we start smelling smoke... look out and the cab on one of the 966's is filling with smoke and flames are starting to flicker, we run out with extinguishers and of course its locked so we pop a corner window and start filling her with powder.
We leave a note for the maintenance manager and go home at shifts end believing we just saved the company $250K.
I come in the next day to see our BA telling the other guys the owners want us fired, saying we should have let it burn!
Apparently it was worth more to them totaled than just damaged.

And what happens when more equipment burns? Or the shop?
Some managers are short sighted, and have zero fire experience.

 

[gundoggermax]

I wouldnt say the younger generation cant think on their feet or do anything to help people in need. Thats a little harsh. There are dumb and lazy people everywhere, young and old

 

[Colt556]

Yeah, more young people bashing.

Not really bashing, just stating how a lot of younger ppl seem helpless or clueless when it comes to anything that isn't on a screen in front of them. There are plenty of folks my age that are helpless as well. I'm just about computer illiterate, but I try.

88GT, It was a red Impala I believe. It happened so quick and then I was outta there.

 

[88GT]

Not really bashing, just stating how a lot of younger ppl seem helpless or clueless when it comes to anything that isn't on a screen in front of them. There are plenty of folks my age that are helpless as well. I'm just about computer illiterate, but I try.

88GT, It was a red Impala I believe. It happened so quick and then I was outta there.

Yeah, that was my Suburban about 4 years ago. That pic was snapped after they started getting the water on it. The fireball had been much bigger.

Chevy Suburban
Chevy Impala
Chevy Volt
Chevy Cruze


Perhaps the investigations need to go a little farther back.

 

[snorko]

You're part of the generation that knows how to get things done and has the confidence to do it...

Wait, never mind, that's a Viagra commercial.

 

[Colt556]

You're part of the generation that knows how to get things done and has the confidence to do it...

Wait, never mind, that's a Viagra commercial.

No problem there..... Just need a good woman!

 

[Clay]

Im disappointed you didn't have your own extinguisher in your car

there, that make you happy? lol

 

[canav844]

I'm under 30 and face-palmed at opening the hood of an engine we knew was on fire, giving it more oxygen and increasing our risk of direct exposure to flames, instead of spraying through the grill slats (while standing to the side of the car so the hydraulic sensors for the airbag don't launch the bumper into your legs if they over heat and break) to break the oxygen, fuel, heat fire triangle sooner.

How to handle car fires - Los Angeles Times

Now be fair to those hipsters, I'm sure there's killer photos on facebook and video on youtube, with clever tweets such as "car on fire"

FWIW I also keep a BC bottle less than 5 years old in the trunk, they're like $15 at Walmart, make a great easy addition to the first aid kit it rides secured next to.

 

[tv1217]

Maybe it's because I'm one of the young people you hate so much, but if their whole response to their own car going up in flames is to stand there staring at it with their thumbs up their butts, I'm just stand by and watch the show.

 

[UncleMike]

Not really bashing, just stating how a lot of younger ppl seem helpless or clueless when it comes to anything that isn't on a screen in front of them. There are plenty of folks my age that are helpless as well. I'm just about computer illiterate, but I try.

88GT, It was a red Impala I believe. It happened so quick and then I was outta there.

To be fair there are an equal number of clueless people in every age group.
I've come to the conclusion that the concept of "Fight or Flight" needs to have a third category added.
"Be a Gawker"!!
Many people are the observer types who haven't the foggiest idea what to do in an emergency.
They are conditioned by their upbringing to be nothing but a witness the disaster.

 

[watkins1988]

Not really bashing, just stating how a lot of younger ppl seem helpless or clueless when it comes to anything that isn't on a screen in front of them. There are plenty of folks my age that are helpless as well. I'm just about computer illiterate, but I try.

I'm 23 and i would have to agree with you on that. Theres younger people out there that are not helpless. But seems like the majority are, and I think its because most kids nowadays get everything handed to them. They don't work for anything, and therefore don't get any real world knowledge/experience.

 

[MikeDVB]

Funny thing... Worked at a warehouse ... They trained us on using the fire extinguishers (i.e. had a session where we all got to use them on a "demonstration" fire, etc... Like a 3 hour learning session)...

The session ended with "You are not authorized to use a fire extinguisher or to put out fires. If you see a fire, evacuate the building immediately and call 911."

Like, wtf... Why train us on how to use them and then tell us that we can't use them... At least I got paid for shooting fire extinguishers for a couple hours.