I was just at Lowes getting plumbing parts for a home repair when the fiancee phones me to let me know I might want to come home, as the neighbor's garage is on fire. I dash out of the store like I stole something and get home to see 5 fire trucks working on my poor neighbor's garage. I haul *** into my own garage and pull out the cars, the mowers, the snow blower.. anything with gas in it, and then I hauled out about 6 gas cans. When I moved into my house, the previous redneck living there left me 30 gallons of used motor oil in a steel drum. I have never gotten around to cleaning it out of there, but it's a hell of a fuel for a fire like he had going. He was apparently emptying the gas out of his harley for the winter and something in the garage sparked a fireball which burned his arms pretty badly. I went over to check on him, but he was getting loaded into the ambulance. He'll be OK, but his harley has that HAMB look you all love (flat black). I feel bad for the guy because this bike is his pride and joy, and I know that if there was anything he didn't want done to him in life, it was to have that bike ruined. His garage sits about 10 feet away from mine, so I pulled up just as the windows were exploding outward from heat, and flames then shot out of them. So with the grace of a balerina I sprung into action.. but then I stopped to take some photos. His garage is a loss. The fire department pulled in the roof because it was all burning as embers. So if you guys are using that "I have nothing to do" excuse, maybe you can head out to your garage and get rid of anything flammable that you don't need. I know I'm going to get this ****ing oil out of here asap and relocate the gas cans to a safer location.
Arrghh! What a shame bout the garage. Glad the guy will be o.k. Fire extinguishers are great insurance to help keep **** like that in check (usualy) & they are pretty cheap. I keep em in the cars, kitchen, & garage. SAFTEY FIRST!
from what I heard it was bigger than a one man job in a hurry, so i'm not sure if he could have gotten it out with an extinguisher. Gasolene vapors are pretty nasty stuff to mix with open flames. The FD just returned and was poking around to make sure it was out. I've got all my stuff settled back in.. I'm surprised people weren't stopping by to see if I was having a garage sale. His wife is home though, so looks like back to life.. I counted on my own, and I have 42 quarts of oil/****** fluid/etc 5 gas cans (all but one containing some goofy 2 cycle ratio), a gallon of Acetone, and of course about 35 gallons of used motor oil. I moved all my flammables along the furthest garage wall from my house, and nearest the door for quick access in a fire. I only have two of those little dinky extinguishers though, and I doubt they'd do much for a gas fire.
That look's like a factory Low Rider HD. I know hind sight is 20/20, but draining the bike outside would kept the fume's down.
I keep all my flammables in a metal cabinet and make sure the lids are on tight. Gasoline goes in safety cans only, and I have two big extinguishers handy. Those safety cans are worth their price I might say.
Great Reminder,Luke!! I was at one last week. The dispatcher said, " Garage on fire fully involved-owner says there is a 20lb propane tank, boat with 40 gallons of gas in it, inside." Well, that was partly correct. Behind the boat and the propane tank were- 1 snowmobile (with gas)- 2 jet skis (with gas,on trailers with tires)- 2 riding lawnmowers (with gas, oil, tires)--and this was just in the storage/lean-to side of the shop. The other side had 2 snowmobiles- (with gas) 1 52 Chevy pickup (customized with a flame paint job) a new Harley - tools-oil-gas cans- and I'm pretty sure I tripped over 2 or 3 bicycles while I was going in to relieve the first in hoseline attack crew. We saved the main structure and contents- albeit smoke and water damage. The lean-to and contents were a complete loss. NO INJURIES (well, my mustasche and hair smelled pretty smokey for most of the week-and there might have been a few stiff muscles.) Like Luke says- at the very least, take a look at your garage contents and organization and try remove obvious hazardous items and conditions and sources of ignition. Another note: Have a fire extinguisher by the door-if the fire is bigger than you could put out with your shoe-look at the extinguisher on your way OUT the door to get to a phone and dial 911 (my number). We had a hotrodder die in a fire in his shop. They found him lying by the door with a fire extinguisher in his hand. Fire evolves very rapidly-ESPECIALLY-FLAMMABLE LIQUID FIRES!!! Stay Safe. overspray (volunteering to run INTO burning buildings for over 15 years)
THERE IS NO "THING" WORTH DYING FOR!!!! Family-Yes Country-Yes Another human being-Yes As a group , we firefighters put it on the line every day. Many of my brother firefighters have died trying to save somebodys stuff. When your **** catches fire and it won't go out with a small extinguisher...GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know it's not exactly the same, but here in Cali, there are a lot of brush fires. I am at a loss of words for the people they show on the news, standing on the roof of their houses with gardenhoses!! Meanwhile a HUGE thousand + acre brush fire is headed right at them. Is your house really worth your life? Speaking of which, I need to get an extinguisher for my car, any recomendations of type, where to buy, and most important, where in my car should I keep it?
I like an A-B-C style for my cars. They fight most fires. I keep the one in my roadster mounted in front of the p*** seat. I can reach it while still belted in. I want it close so I can fight my way OUT of the car. Just like the suggestion of keeping the garage one by the exit!
I keep: A 20lb C02 Extingiusher 2 cans of Cold-Fire on each end of the shop http://www.josephprep.com/ColdFire/ I also: Keep my cell phone in the shop Have a list of hazardous materials and quan***ies for the FD in a seperate location Store Paint and chemicals in an old refrigerator (Yes I know it is not a Flammable Storage cabinet, but it is better than nothing) Have a charged water hose outside the shop whenever the torch or welder is in use Keep **** picked up Stuff I need to do: Get more extinguishers Get real Gas Safety Cans Purge unneeded Chemicals Get real Flammable Locker Have fire dept come inspect and give suggestions Install Sprinkler system
[ QUOTE ] I know it's not exactly the same, but here in Cali, there are a lot of brush fires. I am at a loss of words for the people they show on the news, standing on the roof of their houses with gardenhoses!! Meanwhile a HUGE thousand + acre brush fire is headed right at them. Is your house really worth your life? [/ QUOTE ] i don't know how yall cali folks do it. i've got a buddy out there that lives right in the path during fire season and he's got 3 hotrods in the garage and a record room with about 5,000+ records in it. (he's been collecting those and car stuff since he was kid and he's in his early 50s now so you can imagine what kind of amazing stuff he's got) i asked him why he doesn't just move (he loves it there) and what he does to prepare (nothing. just leaves every year if he has to and takes what little he can if he has time. "it's just stuff. i can get more") that just amazes me. i know ya can't live in a fire/weather proof box yer whole life but damn. i've got to be less materialistic i guess, but i'm still not gonna voluntarily live in a fire prone area....
Usally once each year,this comes up and I publish my experience two years ago to remind people to keep a fire extinguisher handy in the gayrage. I had the hood and sides off my '34 and I started the motor to show a buddy how she sounded and the little gl*** fuel filter which was mounted right behind the alternator,broke and shot gas into the back of the alt. The whole thing went up in flames. It burned thru my plastic oil gage line and started dripping oil on the carpet under the car. Bad news !!!! The bottom line?? We got the fire out with minimum damage to the alternator wiring. I got rid of that type of fuel filter in a hurry,put a copper line to the oil pressure gage and threw out the carpet. Now I keep two BIG extinguishers in the garage,minimal fuel line connections under the hood,and no carpeting under the car. I was really lucky to have a quick witted friend with an extinguisher standing close by.
The Jalopy Journal
