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Originally Posted by JusticePete
Time for the curmudgeon in me to come out.
Engine bay fires are extremely dangerous. Opening the hood to use a fire extinguisher is more dangerous. Never, never feed a fire air. Unless you have an automatic fire suppression system under hood it is going to burn down. Get out of the car and run to safety.
Burning cars feel no pain.
It is not unusual for people with their clothing in flames to beg for death to end the pain.
There are quite a few first responders in here. Please speak up.
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Pete, I love ya man, but in this case I disagree... I'm not a first responder, technically I am, but it's more of a "first on the scene with an extinguisher"... I've seen my share of auto fires, and am required by law to carry one. In some cases they're useless as teats on a boar hog, in others they can save auto's and even lives.
Los Angeles, a guy in a rustang runs over a plastic bag, it gets on his exhaust and starts a small fire. I watched the whole thing, stopped behind him, sprayed the bag and all was good. (punk didn't even offer to buy me a new extinguisher!)
Nevada middle of nowhereville, a chev SUV has electrical problems, by the time we got to it, everyone was out of the vehicle, but the car was a goner... if the owner would have had an extinguisher and any tool to kill the battery supply, it could have easily been saved without danger.... we still... almost... saved it.
I have stories that go both ways, in some the extinguisher is just a paper weight, in others it kept cars from burning to the ground.
Tag's example is a good one, and not a rarity...
In your argument,
Quote:
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It is not unusual for people with their clothing in flames to beg for death to end the pain.
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if that was you, wouldn't you also wish someone would come along with an extinguisher? I had an aunt, uncle, and their three kids burned severely in a car fire due to an accident. A friend with them was the one you described above, she didn't make it.
fortunately I've never been first at the scene on one of the bad ones, but if I am, I'm (somewhat) ready with an extinguisher and bolt cutters.
As for me and my cars, we will carry extinguishers... a pry bar is handy also.
It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.