RE: Hell Night

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Dave Halliday" <dh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Sorry for the Off Topic but:

You aren't the only person to have this happen to them.
http://www.vehicle-injuries.com/ford-fire.htm

The investigation will examine Ford F-150 pickups from 1995-1999 and
2001-2002 model years, and Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators from
the 1997-1999 and 2001-2002 model years. The alleged defect with the
cruise control deactivation switch is that it can short circuit and
cause an engine compartment fire, even when the engine is off and the
vehicle is parked. NHTSA officials said they have received 218
complaints of engine fires from the cruise control switch in these
models.

Looks like you are number 219...

Take care!


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 5:15 PM
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Hell Night
>
>
> Original poster: stork <stork@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>
>
> 3/27/05
>
> Over the past twenty years I have enjoyed Tesla coiling and
> various high
> energy-HV pursuits.  I have collected a vast array of books,
> instruments
> and just plane interesting and good "stuff".  I have made
> many different
> coils, projects, models and instruments.  My three car garage turned
> into a two car garage with a hobbyist lab/shop in one bay and
> along two
> walls.  In addition to my electronic equipment, I put
> together a modest
> shop with many tools and power equipment.  As time went by my
> collection
> grew bigger and even better and I have spent enumerable pleasurable
> hours with my hobby.  I know our avocation is often considered
> dangerous, but I always practice it with care and caution.
>
> On 3/24/05 I left work and arrived home about 5:30 PM.  I
> parked my 2000
> Ford Expedition in the middle bay and went through the
> breezeway into my
> house.  I went up to my small office just off my bed room on
> the second
> floor of my house to work on my computer.  Just after 7:00 PM
> we heard a
> muffled boom and the windows shook a little.  My wife asked if I heard
> that noise and I said 'yes, I think it's just a truck in front of the
> house' (the road crews were re-surfacing the road at night).  She
> thought someone was trying to enter our house through the back so we
> turned on the back outside lights and there seemed to be no
> problem.  We
> heard another noise down stairs so I went down to
> investigate.  Nothing
> and no one was in the house.  But, as I rounded the corner to the
> breezeway I heard a muffled cracking sound in the garage.  I was sure
> someone was in the garage.  I cracked the door open and reached in and
> flipped on the light.  I opened the door and to my complete
> surprise and
> astonishment I found not a person, but fire and black smoke billowing
> up.  I have two garage fire extinguishers, but immediately
> knew I could
> not manage the situation with them.  I slammed the door and
> told my wife
> to call 911.
>
> I ran back through the house and out the front door to the driveway in
> front of the garage.  The intense heat caused two garage doors to
> partially open about half way.  The flames quickly spread and
> completely
> engulfed my Expedition and my wife's just paid for 1997 BMW.  The fire
> spread incredibly fast.  At that point, I knew it was really dangerous
> and yelled for my wife to run out the back door onto our
> dock, which she
> did.  I ran out to the street to direct the fire trucks when
> they came.
> Even though the fire station is only two miles away it seemed like it
> took them forever to get there and set up.
>
> The fire was an inferno at this point.  The garage was
> totally consumed
> in flames and there were about a dozen more explosions.  There was one
> huge explosion and fire and debris ejected about 50 feet out
> the garage
> doors and the garage roof lifted up several feet.  A fire ball went up
> past the top of the surrounding oak trees to about 75 - 100 feet.  One
> oak tree caught on fire.  The fire started going up the
> breezeway under
> the eves to my house.  At that point, I suddenly knew the house would
> catch on fire and probably burn to the ground.
>
> The Navy and Coast Guard were conducting night maneuvers out on the St
> Johns River behind my house.  A helicopter saw my wife on the
> end of the
> dock and directed a Coast Guard boat over to the dock with its search
> light.  My wife sure did appreciate those two guys coming over to help
> her.  I did too.
>
> When the fire engines arrived the fire was up to the breezeway and
> starting to enter the house.  These guys were tremendous.  Their plan
> was to attack the fire at the breezeway/house and try to cut
> it off from
> the inferno in the garage.  Miraculously, it worked.  It took
> over three
> hours to get the fire out.
>
> We got out with the clothes on our backs and are in a Holiday Inn now.
> Our home is extensively damaged and we will be out of it for
> about eight
> months for repair.  The breezeway, adjacent trees, garage and
> both cars
> are destroyed.  My beloved equipment, tools and invaluable
> treasures no
> longer exist.
>
> Of course, the real question is how did all this happen?  I will tell
> you categorically our hobby had nothing at all to do with this
> catastrophe.  When I initially went into the garage and saw
> the fire, it
> was under the Expedition engine area.  Flames were coming out
> around the
> driver's side wheel well and around the hood where it was
> fitted to the
> SUV. A large amount of black smoke was also coming out of
> this area. There
> was no other area burning or out of order in the garage.  The
> fire was
> entirely caused by the car.
>
> I write only to inform you disasters can and do happen, and
> that we should
> all continuously strive for safety in what ever we do.
>
> The only good thing about all of this is Anne and I are still
> alive and
> not hurt.  Even though it will take a good year of our lives
> to recover,
> only material things were lost.  Oh well, I don't even own a screw
> driver now.
>
> stork
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