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Don't let this happen to you.....

Mike Schoeben

New member
I had a rather large scare this morning. While working about 250' away from my truck (and down a hill), my pressure washer stopped. I couldn't see the truck, and figured I either ran out of gas, or the low oil shutoff killed the motor. WRONG. As I came over the hill there was my truck engulfed in a four alarm fire :eek:. Now to say I freaked out would be an understatement, I almost had a coronary. I ran to the back and the whole thing was smoke and fire. I ran to the side of the truck and disconnected a supply line I had running to the tanks and proceeded to play fireman. Luckily the fire didn't get to the gas or diesel tanks, but pretty much burnt and melted everything in sight. I was running cold water at the time (thank god), because both the supply and return diesel lines were burned off. All the wood on the inside of the truck is charcoal, and I'll be needing a new burner for my skid, along with some extensive rewiring. The battery blew up and melted also. The fire was hot enough to burn through the aluminum side panels of the truck and melt off most of the lettering on one side, and the rear roll up door is toast. I feel that I was lucky though, because all of my recovery equipment was spared, along with a 8500w generator, my surface cleaners, and water tanks. I lost a few chem tanks and a lot of poly hose, some tools, and a few wands. Fire dept. never came either. All in all, not as bad as it could have been. I am still shaking......

Anyway, make sure your insurance is paid up, and check your equipment before use. I didn't today, and it's gonna cost me. My insurance is fine, but I failed to check equipment because I had a lot to do and was in a hurry. The culprit seems to be a loose injector line that sagged down too close to the exhaust from the motor, melted, started on fire and spread to the rest of the truck. I need a beer.......:saai:
 

Jeff LeCours

New member
Man that would totally freak me out. I worry about fire, I have fire extinguishers every where om my trucks & trailers. I have yelled at my guys when I pull up and I see things close to the exhaust before, melted hole in safety cones, melted loose water hose.

Sorry you had such a ig scare Mike, best of luck getting it all cleaned up
 

Dave Olson

New member
Big Mike,

At least your Ok :clap:

We try to set up our equipment so it is Idiot Proof! And sometimes the Idiot is me!:redface:

Checking equipment over the day/night before is the way we try to cover ourselves. Many times when your leaving for a job you can be in a hurry and miss something!
 

Mike Schoeben

New member
Thanks for the replies guys. I am to blame for this one, as I recently removed 6 -15 gallon tanks I was using to downstream from (DOT issues), and replaces with 6 gallon totes. I had a 6 way injector manifold and all the 1/4" polybraid lines mounted to the wall of the truck behind the skid. When I changed things up, I had two extra lines and didn't secure / remove them and voila' - Fire.

One good thing is going to come from this, I am going to switch from a box style body to a flatbed. I wanted to do that originally when I bought the truck, but couldn't swing it. Now my insurance is likely going to pay for it. With a flatbed I'll be able to pull this truck (NPR), into ramps and won't have to continually climb in and out. My old body will be loving it.
 

Guy Blackmon

New member
Mike, Sorry about your loss!!! Can you list some things that you need to get started back up??? Can't promise the world, but I may have a few things laying around the shop.
 

Mike Schoeben

New member
Bob, Kathleen, Guy,
Thanks for the support. I have two more rigs I can run, and plenty of supplies. I just have to de-winterize my other truck to do any hot water stuff. Right now I'm up to my eyeballs in deck work, so it'll have to wait for the weekend. I am bidding on three large parking ramps next week, so I will need to get that burnt rig going soon. Bob, I may be looking for some help if I land those ramps. I'll keep you posted. At least I'm busy:clap:
 

Russ Spence

Active member
Mike I had a similar incident a little over a year ago, we were cleaning a roof and the motor on the Delavan pump over heated and the wired caught on fire the the flame reached up to a fuel line on a washer, the only way we new is I had a guy doing the driveway and the washer cut off when the fuel line burned into, I walked around the corner of the home and I almost fainted! Really I didnt know what to do first but I managed to grab the fire extinguisher and get it stopped, only about 500 or so in damages I was lucky
 

Paul Kassander

UAMCC Associate Member
Glad you are ok Mike.

Had a fire myself a few years back that melted the wiring on two unit in the back of my truck. I had an extra smart employee at the time that decided to spill gas all over a hot machine and exhaust. Never again will i have a unit with a tank over the engine.
 

Ken Fenner

Active member
Paul I did that the other day when the safety valve on the can stuck open as I was pulling it from the tank. When it hit the exhaust shield I about shat in my pants. I stood there with the extinguisher for about five minutes waiting for some type of fireball.

I hate the way the gas tanks are setup on the portables. I always get a pit in my stomach when i hear the machine start to sputter.

Does anybody have any suggestions for their favorite gas can? Not trying to steal the thread but maybe we can turn a negative into a positive.
 

Tim Fields

New member
Does anybody have any suggestions for their favorite gas can? Not trying to steal the thread but maybe we can turn a negative into a positive.
Ken,
I've looked at this model but not purchased yet. One thing we do is only fill hot machines from a one gallon gas can. Much easier to control.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200361055_200361055

The review posted on Northern Tool states "Does what I hoped - shuts off flow. It's a bit clumbsy in operation because there is a double safety to open the valve but at least I'm not pouring gas all over my tools anymore."
 

Randall Brooks

New member
Almost did the same thing a few weeks ago. Washing stripper off a privacy fence for about 45 min then had to come back to the truck for something. Came around the corner and what I thought was water pouring under the trailer was FUEL!! Like said I about shat my pants too as it was pouring out of the burner directly onto the exhaust manifold and smoking off as it hit. What I did was accidentally turn the burner on when I took the cover off and was having a burner issue where it wouldn't fire off so the diesel just filled up the burner until it poured out onto the motor,,,wheeew....Did a Chines fire drill unhooking my truck from the trailer trying to get away from it as I just knew it was going to fire off any second but it didn't....There was about 3 gallons of fuel on the ground under the trailer.
 

Carlos Gonzales

New member
Almost did the same thing a few weeks ago. Washing stripper off a privacy fence for about 45 min then had to come back to the truck for something. Came around the corner and what I thought was water pouring under the trailer was FUEL!! Like said I about shat my pants too as it was pouring out of the burner directly onto the exhaust manifold and smoking off as it hit. What I did was accidentally turn the burner on when I took the cover off and was having a burner issue where it wouldn't fire off so the diesel just filled up the burner until it poured out onto the motor,,,wheeew....Did a Chines fire drill unhooking my truck from the trailer trying to get away from it as I just knew it was going to fire off any second but it didn't....There was about 3 gallons of fuel on the ground under the trailer.

This would be all you needed Randall especially after that incident with the dog attack. Thanks for sharing man!
 
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