Vehicle Fires

By Brian Butler

Modern day vehicle fires are becoming far more dangerous, requiring a thorough size up and cautious approach. Firefighters are currently faced with far more hazards than the old conventional vehicle fires of the past. Some additional concerns range from exploding compressed gas canisters, struts, plastic gas tanks, multiple airbags and burning magnesium to numerous batteries, energy absorbing bumpers, alternative fuels (CNG, LPG, Hydrogen, Hybrid) and hydrocarbon plastics that produce more heat and toxic smoke. There's a big difference between the old conventional car fires of the 70', 80's and 90's, compared to the modern day vehicle fires of today. 

Imagine having two car fires within one month of eachother with both the vehicles involved were 35 years apart. If you've been around long enough,  you'd definitely recognize the differences between the two. I remember back in 2015 having a late model SUV fully involved in an alley with several airbag explosions, burning magnesium, a strut launch off the read hatchback, and a small running fuel fire. A few weeks later we had a 1980's Ford Granada burning on the PA turnpike. The old Ford was a simple fire, just cloth interior and dash area burning in a metal shell. Keep in mind this was burning for over 20 minutes before water was applied to it. It was extinguished with very little water and no airbag, magnesium or strut dangers present. Back then, not wearing your face mask posed less risk when compared to modern day vehicle fires.

We must remember that whether a vehicle is old or new, the presence of explosive atmospheres in certain vehicles will not discriminate. Food trucks, RV's, ambulances, and CNG refuse (sanitation) trucks are dangerous when involved in fire. In addition to your typical vehicle fire hazards, add the possibility of oxygen, propane, or CNG tanks exploding. Avoid complacency when approaching these vehicles. I like to classify these vehicles as "target hazard" vehicles. 

With all of of the inaccurate information out there on strategy and tactics involving these burning vehicles, I worked for months doing extensive research to correct certain methods I had disagreed with and to promote awareness. This also inspired my "Target Hazard Transportation Machinery" course, which also covers elevators and passenger trains. 

We offer a great course on sizing up various types of passenger occupied "transportation" machinery. Dangerous moving machinery requires a thorough size up before any suppression or extrication begins. New firefighters NEED this course! Big trucks, heavy equipment transport, hazardous material delivery trucks, rolling compactors and other dangerous machinery can add stabilization problems, explosive atmospheres, and fire than a single engine company can handle. Think TESLA...

Click here for "Elevators, Trains, and Automobiles" Sizing Up Passenger Occupied Transportation Machinery> 

When dispatched for a vehicle fire, ask yourself the following:

*What is burning? (car, SUV, bobtail, pickup, ambulance, delivery, RV, etc..)

*Where is it burning? (engine compartment, trunk, trailer, bed etc..)

*What is it carrying? (occupants, gas, propane, oxygen, fireworks, etc..) 

*How is it powered? (electric, third rail, diesel, gasoline, catenary wire, trolley line)

*What hazards are present when exposed to heat? (airbags, struts, tanks, magnesium, etc..)   

*Do I need foam? (Hydrocarbon, AR-AFFF 3-6%, involving gas station, diesel truck etc..)

Your simple vehicle fire can turn into a far more serious incident. During a fire with an occupant trapped inside, a proactive fireman/officer will have his seat belt cutter, hole punch, eye protection, the irons, and method of extinguishment ready before he even steps out of the truck to do his rescue profile. A proactive pump operator will make sure proper apparatus placement is accomplished.

NOTE: Hole punch tools are ineffective with laminated glass which is present on many modern day passenger vehicles. These windows with have to be cut with an axe, glass cutter tool. The engine pump operator needs to be proactive and prepared for running fuel and unchocked vehicles. 

Starting in 2018, most vehicles will be manufactured with passenger side laminated glass, rendering the halligan strike and hole punch useless. The rear windows may also have laminated glass. This will be a major problem if a rapid rescue has to be performed. Police officers and firefighters have saved many people trapped in burning cars by taking out tempered glass windows with striking tools, Mag lights, batons, and pulling people out through the window. That will not work anymore. 

This will also become an issue for vehicles under water. 

ALL ENGINE COMPANIES that do NOT have the Glas-master or Rhyno cutting tool should push for them. During vehicle fires these windows will not fail like tempered glass and a cutting tool may be needed to make a rapid rescue or to make room for a hose stream into the vehicle. Another method is to use the blade of the axe or fork of the halligan to chop the window (be sure to not strike the occupant!) and flap it down. Use your next vehicle fire to practice cutting, chopping, sawing these laminated windows. 

Be sure to use a mask filter to prevent inhaling glass particles. For real time incidents, pull your Nomex hood up over your mouth and nose and wear safety glasses for protection. 

Apparatus Placement: Where you decide to park is EXTREMELY important when positioning for pump operations during a vehicle fire. Drivers who get complacent are taking unnecessary risks. Attempt to park where you can divert or block traffic, making sure you're parked uphill/upwind from the fire. Take the extra five seconds to get it right before you park your new $1,000,000 apparatus in pump gear and leave the cab. Keep apparatus off train tracks, blind spots on highways, and inclines on exit ramps. 

They are now manufacturing plastic gas tanks, and they melt easily during fire causing running fuel fires. Don't be that pump operator at the bottom of the hill when that "oh shit" moment happens. 

PROTECT YOUR RIG: A good proactive driver should be prepared. If there's even a slight chance of a running fuel fire coming towards the apparatus, grab some speedy dry, a dry chem, or even a shovel AHEAD OF TIME. Use these to dike, divert, or extinguish potential running fuel fires if possible. It only takes a few seconds after the line is charged to chock the wheels of a burning vehicle or grab the speedy dry just in case.

THINK IT DOESN'T HAPPEN? WATCH THIS VIDEO.

Stabilize: Chock the vehicle if on a ramp or hill. You don't want THIS to happen while the entire hood is filming you on their cell phones. Don't have chocks on the engine? Just click here for creative chocking

Magnesium: Magnesium fires can reach temperatures over 4000°F producing a bright blinding flash and even penetrating bunker gear. When water is applied to burning magnesium, especially a fog pattern, the reaction is a bright flare up (magnesium oxide) and volatile (hydrogen) explosion. Just staring at magnesium fires long enough can cause blindness, long term migraine headaches, concussions and pain similar to 'welders' flash.​  Always wear your face piece at every vehicle fire.

I will admit that in the 90's and even up to several years ago, I was not a fan of wearing a facepiece when on the nozzle at your typical conventional vehicle fire. Nowadays with all of the explosive dangers, it's not worth the risk of death or injury to the face. Wear your facepiece. The officer is usually behind the nozzlemen, a far more safer position, and may choose not to wear it depending on the circumstances.

For vehicle fires involving magnesium,  approach from the side or a 45° angle using a straight stream from a distance sweeping under the vehicle on approach, then cool the bumper strut area second. Let the magnesium burn off while extinguishing the rest of the vehicle first. Most of the magnesium will be in the steering column area, transfer case and engine block. Familiarity with certain types of vehicles will help you when facing fires involving magnesium. Using a class D (or ABC) fire extinguisher to smother some of the burning magnesium may be helpful, especially in the steering column, dash,  floor board, transfer case area. That, combined with a good 180 GPM solid stream will USUALLY handle burning magnesium in a vehicle. Sometimes you will discover an expensive Class D extinguisher will be useless and letting magnesium burn longer is a better option than running out of tank water, calling another engine company, or connecting to a hydrant. If using the preferred fog nozzle and you encounter magnesium, use a narrow pattern or use a 'breakaway' nozzle for a vehicle fire with magnesium. Extinguish the rest of the vehicle letting the magnesium burn. Shut down the line and remove the fog and then apply solid stream to magnesium. 

From feedback and experience, the methods out there range from purple K and met-L-X, to speedy dry and even dry cement. I once had a late model Jeep Cherokee burning on the PA Turnpike with a lot of magnesium burning. We used 750 gallons of water, two ABC and one class D extinguisher. After all that, it barely went out.

WARNING: Do not lean into the car with the line to extinguish fire. This old practice is dangerous because of magnesium and the airbag locations. Whether in the steering wheel, passenger dash, the A, B, C posts, or knee airbags, they will blow up in your face and only end your career if you're lucky.

AIRBAGS: Airbag gas inflators can explode when exposed to heat from vehicle fires causing serious injury to unsuspecting firefighters reaching inside the vehicle to perform a rescue or operating a handline. It's important that ALL firemen, especially nozzlemen become familiar with the locations where these airbag inflators will be installed as there can be as many as 12 airbags in a vehicle. Watch your head when advancing line into vehicle. 

Apparatus placement is EXTREMELY important during a vehicle fire. Drivers who get complacent are taking unnecessary risks. Try to position the apparatus where you can divert or stop traffic, looking out for the safety of firefighters exiting the fire truck. If possible, park uphill/upwind, being cognizant of running fuel fires. Take the extra few seconds to get it right before you put your new $800,000 apparatus in pump gear and leave the cab. Keep it off train tracks, blind spots on highways, and exit ramps. 

Be sure to quickly chock the vehicle if on a ramp or hill. 

Click here to see a school bus on fire start rolling toward a pumper.
 

They are now manufacturing plastic gas tanks, and they melt easily during fire causing running fuel fires. Don't be that pump operator at the bottom of the hill when that "oh shit" moment happens. 

PROTECT YOUR RIG: A good proactive driver knows If there's even a slight chance of a running fuel fire coming towards the apparatus, to grab speedy dry AHEAD OF TIME and dike or divert any running fuel fires if possible. It only takes a few seconds after the line is charged to chock the wheels of a burning vehicle, grab the speedy dry, and a dry chem extinguisher... just in case! 

THINK IT DOESN'T HAPPEN? SEE VIDEO BELOW.

In part 2 of vehicle fires, we will cover vehicle fires with exposures from structures, loading docks, filling/charging stations, solar panels, and fires involving tractor trailers, bobtails, delivery trucks, and electric cars. Difficult to access fires in tunnels, underground parking, and bridges.