Motorway Query;

[Psuedonym]

Here's a bit of a conversation starter (to fire / safety chaps anyway): You are driving along the M/Way at the correct rate of knots, when you spot smoke and a bit of yellowy orangy stuff coming from under a car on the hardshoulder on your side.

I have done the heroics, with a small powder to knock it down and supressed with 1 or 2 6Lt Foam. Haven't done one for a while mind, but in these days of paramount safety and where one can be sued for breaking wind in the wrong direction, what would you do?
(Example: The last one was on the M61 North just before Chorley, the occupant frozen behind the wheel despite the smoke build up in his car, the FB took 20 mins (South from Chorley and had to come back North to the incident) to arrive.)

Left to its own devices the car would be burning out of control and the traffic build up would be horrendous - on both sides at evening peak time. As it was, the engine fire was out in a couple of minutes and traffic left flowing.

So, don't condemn or condone my actions, just give me your honest split second reactions to the same type of problem..

[Chris Houston]

sued for breaking wind in the wrong direction

Don't believe everything you read in tabloids.

(Topic moved from Q&A about RRFSO).

[AnthonyB]

You wouldn't be sued.

You might get scattered to the four winds by a few dozen tonnes of weaving HGV.

Motorway incidents with uncontrolled traffic are very dangerous and recovery operators do loose their lives, even with reflective markings, high viz clothing and lots of flashing lights. Car fires can be nasty as well if the tank goes or a tyre pops

If I could park safely I might consider it, but if everyone is clear would still be in two minds, if life was at risk that's different. Lower speed highways it's more of a consideration to do.

You need a lot of extinguisher to be sure especially on Motorways where side winds from passing vehicles can affect your discharge if Powder or BCF*

It's not unknown for people to help - it's good PR for extinguisher firms, in recent years a BAFE member got a bit of PR after stopping and snuffing a fire with a 4kg D/P. And Chubb have had a bit of TV PR on the reality police clip shows with some early 90's footage of a traffic cop & chubb engineer putting a few SP9 powders onto a car.

It's a favourite buzz word on this site but you need to Risk Assess each instance - sometimes you'll stop, other times move on and just call it in at the next orange phone - as long as you get home that night, that's the key.

Because car fires can be swines, even early on, I keep a 2.5 kilo Amerex Monnex handy for the extra punch and in recent years a certain Brightly Coloured Fire extinguisher has been most useful....

* I know it's evil and of course now illegal - but it's a very good agent and has served me well and there's lot's of it about still outside of workplaces

[Chris Houston]

I was in a VW golf that was written off when a careless driver smashed into me while broken down on hard shoulder.  I concur with AnthonyB, I probably would stay away unless I thought someone was in danger....or unless she looked really cute

[Psuedonym]

* I know it's evil and of course now illegal - but it's a very good agent and has served me well and there's lot's of it about still outside of workplaces

I've got an FPS 1.5 in the kitchen. Best piece of kit ever invented. Even the missus can use it!

(The only issue is the neck o' ring which corrodes over time, so keep an eye on the guage)

[The Reiver]

I've got an FPS 1.5 in the kitchen. Best piece of kit ever invented. Even the missus can use it!
(The only issue is the neck o' ring which corrodes over time, so keep an eye on the guage)

Phil, I've had the same issue but recently moved away from wrought iron to stainless steel. I find it much more resilient and it also goes well with her silver jewellry.
As for a gauge.........If you've found it, you're a better man than I gunga din.
I would love to find my lasses' and then I might be able to stabilise the pressure.  

As for the car fire thing.............Do I get to charge call out and refill ??

[Goodsparks]

"Because car fires can be swines, even early on, I keep a 2.5 kilo Amerex Monnex handy for the extra punch "

http://www.kerr-firefighting.co.uk/utcfs/ws-598/Assets/Powders_Catalogue.pdf  (Pg 38)

It is impressive stuff, 2.3kg of Monnex doing the same as a standard 9kg ABC powder, What sort of price does it work out per kg ?

Paul

[Midland Retty]

So long as everyone was out of the car and therefore safe I wouldn't dream of tackling the fire. Too much danger from not only passing traffic, but nasties burning from the car, petrol leaks, and all the rest of it.

The small extinguishers car accessory stores sell are next to useless at dealing with car fires. Monnex is good, but alas not many people have those to hand.

Obviously if someone was trapped it would be different, but if they're all out make sure theyre ok and advise them to start filling in the insurance claim, and deciding what new car they would like.

[Chris Houston]

"Because car fires can be swines, even early on, I keep a 2.5 kilo Amerex Monnex handy for the extra punch "

http://www.kerr-firefighting.co.uk/utcfs/ws-598/Assets/Powders_Catalogue.pdf  (Pg 38)

It is impressive stuff, 2.3kg of Monnex doing the same as a standard 9kg ABC powder, What sort of price does it work out per kg ?

Paul

I rather fancy buying one of these know I know this.  Where can I get one from and how much?

[AnthonyB]

It's very very dear & It's only because I'm in the trade It's affordable. I obtained it when doing some work on a major agro-chemical site in my neck of the woods - they were demolishing a few large buildings but wouldn't let the demolition company work without checked extinguishers. To save money the demolition firm asked me to go through all the extinguishers in the buildings to be levelled and try and cobble together enough working ones to give them a selection. Most kit was old renovated Chubb & Pyrene CO2's, similar old trolleys, but I managed to sort them with the newer 80's Amerex stuff. I left them the total scrappers to get rid of and took some of the spare OK stuff as part ex for the low price they were charged. So I obtained some 9kg Amerex BC Powders and the holy grail a Monnex specially produced by Amerex - they shipped over some UL listed steel 5lb bodies (the type with the short hose), charged them with Monnex and put a custom transfer on them.

It was empty & because of the different density of Monnex probably only has 1.5 kilo in it yet still cost £30 to fill at TG trade rate, so is not cheap.

Most Monnex kit is 9 kilo and costs three figures retail (& not far off trade). The only new 2 kilo Monnex extinguishers I've seen ex stock are from Express Fire (crusader body & valve, special transfer) that are a good price as the extinguisher body is so cheap - you are basically paying for the Monnex.

It's high price means it never gained the widespread use ICI intended and US influenced customers often prefer the slightly cheaper Purple K (Potassium Bicarbonate without the Urea complex of Monnex) as it still outperforms standard BC.

Most 'car' extinguishers only last about 6 seconds with a very short discharge range and would be of limited use - a Youtube clip from (I think) Scandinavia shows their limitations where a guy fires off a statutory 1kilo BC cartridge Powder car extinguisher (legal requirement there) to illustrate its limited use.

'Reality' TV shows are good for the limitations of portables poorly used with footage of stock car & Nascar crashes in the USA & Australia with disturbing results - thank god for modern protective clothing & airlines on drivers as otherwise several in the clips would have otherwise died