Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Had to drop a 1.9 turbo diesel engine out of a Citroen van today, anyway it wasn't having it, so we got the gas torch out. I ended up being instructed to cut the steering columb as this was not needed, so that I did!

The engine came out, but then we were faced with all of the wiring and plastics being on fire! Jumped on the stacker truck and got it outside quick, smoke was pretty nasty, and got a bucket of water or two on it, no good, so had to use the extinguisher, soon when out then.

Highlighted how bad it would be in an accident, if you were trapped and there was a fire. Going to get a little fire extinguisher to go in my car.

Cheers

Dave

[Rick]

Some of these plastics once burnt can be quite dodgy to handle I read once

RJ
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[Scotty]

Depends on how old the vehicle is Rick - certain materials used on older vehicles exude chemicals during fire that will penetrate through the outer layer of unprotected skin i.e. hands, which then destroys the tissue underneath.

There had been a number of cases where firefighters had serious injuries after the fact as it took time to identify what was happening. Modern vehicles (I don't know what date "modern" refers to) no longer use those types of rubbers / plastics.

However Buzzy's event is a case in fact having the appropriate equipment to hand in the event of fire. I spent a 25 year career seeing the results of that oversight.