Toad Fire May 23, 2017, 04:28:37 pm We ride motorcycles into mexico for a couple weeks and tent camp as a yearly trip. We usually trailer to California or Arizona to start our trip. This year On the way back, in Flagstaff AZ I noticed smoke & fire coming from a towed car (engine compartment) behind a new class A motorhome that had just pulled over on hwy. I decided to stop and give a hand. I keep a 5lb. extinguisher in trailer tool box in front and a 2.5 in trailer. I stopped and grabbed the 5 lb exstingusher (which was out of date by over 30 years) out of unlocked tool box and started to put out the flames to the still connected car while my buddy grabs 2.5 extinguisher in trailer. with the fire almost out we exhausted both extinguishers and within a few min it was back to being fully in flames again. I asked the owner to unhook the car to remove his motorhome from the danger of the flames. He proceeded to explain to me that he does not know how to unhook the car? That motorhome and tow car are brand new and that he tried to pull the hitch pin to the receiver, but the receiver wouldn't pull out. I then tried to pull the pins to the towbar and it was so new I couldn't pull them out without the help from the empty extinguisher banging them out part way and pulling the rest. within seconds the car was released from the towbar, and I gently pushed car with my foot to push it away from motorhome. I proceeded to tell owner to pull his rig up even more to get it to a safe distance and gave him the pins from towbar . all this took place within 5 min. We got back into our van as fire dept just showed up and down the rode we went. I guess my whole point of posting this is I realize we all have or should have fire extinguishers on board but 2.5lbs in my book are worthless unless you get on the fire right away. The owner had tried with his 2.5lbs extinguisher as I saw one laying on ground as I ran up. I will be buying a couple up to date 5lbs extinguishers for my rig. I spend hours doing all my homework on everything on my motorhome and anything being towed. not just for my safety but for the safety of others on the road with me. Shame on the dealer for sending this guy down the road without a clue. If that was the case. Safe travels Greg 7 Likes
Re: Toad Fire Reply #1 – May 23, 2017, 06:12:29 pm Well done and no doubt you helped the Class A owner save his rig. And if you're ever on the road in the Dallas Fort Worth area and need a helping hand we're ready to help you. Take care.
Re: Toad Fire Reply #2 – May 23, 2017, 06:27:05 pm Good job, Greg; thanks for taking the time to stop and help a fellow RVer in need! You are right about the importance of having proper fire extinguishers in a RV. You may want to review this recent discussion on the forum regarding this subject (don't let the subject line below fool you, it really is about fire safety):Refrigerator II
Re: Toad Fire Reply #3 – May 23, 2017, 07:39:50 pm Good job, could have saved his entire rig had the fire progressed quicker.BTW I had fire safety training yearly when working and we had to put out a 10'x10' pan of diesel using a single 30# fire extinguisher. And the safety guy let it burn for a few minutes so it would get really hot before letting us try. It is possible using less than 30# but there is a technique to use. Basically you sweep side to side as you shoot the powder low while advancing towards the fire so that it rolls back onto itself smothering the fire. And yes a 2.5# is only good for a small fire. 10# are much better. And we always had someone with a backup extinguisher, and it was occasionally needed. 1 Likes
Re: Toad Fire Reply #5 – May 23, 2017, 08:29:48 pm Quote from: Lazy Bones 2 - May 23, 2017, 08:07:54 pmHow does a towed car catch on fire 🔥?One way is the brakes grabbing or locking.Jim
Re: Toad Fire Reply #6 – May 23, 2017, 08:39:11 pm Lazy Bones 2, I pondered that question on my long drive home. The source of the flames seem to becoming from below the engine. When I started on the fire the battery was melted and windshield had cracked and caved in. when I walked away the dash was on fire. The car wasn't in gear as I was able to push it back. I have years of experience in towing just about everything towable, but never a car (flat towed) I have a toad for the lazy dazes and I will be crossing my T's and doting my I's before taking it on the road.
Re: Toad Fire Reply #7 – May 24, 2017, 12:46:01 am Quote from: Jim & Gayle - May 23, 2017, 08:29:48 pmOne way is the brakes grabbing or locking.A good reason to have a TPMS, if the temperature rises too much, the pressure increase will set an alarm. Some TPMS also have temperature alarms. Dragging brakes, caused by toad brake problems, are a major cause of toad fires. Portable braking units can shift and slightly apply the brakes causing them to over heat and catch fire. There has been more than one case of this, here on the forum.As for auto fires, once things get burning, a 10 or 20-lb dry chemical extinguisher may not do a thing other than making a bigger mess. The under hood and fire wall insulation can hold a lot of heat, allowing it to reignite after the dry powder burns off.If a flammable liquid is involved, good luck. Get everyone out and away, ASAP.If you tow, set things up so you can drop the toad as quickly as possible. I would rather take a chance of having someone disconnect and try to steal the Jeep than to lock it to the LD and not to be able to separate it quickly.Larry 5 Likes
Re: Toad Fire Reply #8 – May 24, 2017, 12:04:03 pm Last year on my way to Lone Pine, I was driving along US 395 around 20 miles north of Boron when I saw a small fire a few miles ahead. As I got closer, I realized it was right on the road, and as I passed, saw that it was a small car fully engulfed in flame. There was a class A RV around 100 feet ahead, in addition to a pick-up truck that had arrived just before me, with two guys standing watching the fire.I continued to drive past because it was clear the car had been a Toad, it had caught fire, the RV owner had de-coupled and pulled ahead, and the pick-up driver had pulled over to see if he could help. No help in this situation - you could barely see there was a car inside the ball of fire.I did call 911 however; I asked them if it had already been reported. They said yes, but thanks anyway. In the far rear distance I could see the emergency lights of a fire truck coming north from Boron. This area is literally in the middle of nowhere - the only thing remaining after a fire that intense might be a twisted/melted frame.I figure the RV driver probably stopped @ Boron for gas/snacks, etc and for some reason either forgot to release the Toad brakes, or they seized up somehow along the way. He was lucky he was able to uncouple, otherwise the the RV would have gone up as well, with perhaps an explosion due to the intensity of the fire.
Re: Toad Fire Reply #9 – May 24, 2017, 01:39:26 pm And if you're ever in rural Boron (as opposed to downtown Boron?) be sure to visit the Borax Visitor Center and 20 Mule Team Museum where you can learn anything you ever wanted to know about borax! Visitor Center - Borax
Re: Toad Fire Reply #10 – May 24, 2017, 08:56:01 pm WOW! Thanks for the reminder, Greg. We are "over the top" with fire extinguishers in our house... but not in our RV. (It's one area, that I keep thinking about, but haven't done anything about. I will definitely be proactive now. When I was a kid, we had two TV's catch on fire (both with a week I think), plus I have had two places I've lived catch on fire (apartment/dorm) thankfully none of those fires really affected me, but Fire has always ben on my mind. fire extinguisher added to the list.... 2 Likes
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