We're staying at our Son's home for the week. Today, in the process of lighting off his big smoker, he apparently dumped a hot coal in his plastic garbage can next to his stucco garage. I came out, in my socks and sweats to see flames reaching the soffits. I ran into the house to get my keys and grabbed the small First Alert extinguisher from my SUV. Another car came by who also had a small extinguisher. There were enough to knock the flames back to allow time to get a hose on it.

We were 5 minutes from a major house fire. The loss was isolated to 2 big trash cans and a little smoky paint. The fire department arrived after the incident was over, They were slow as they were training on an engine.

We were very, very lucky.

got one

Yikes!

And I thought I had a story to tell.

I carry 3 in the car, one is pretty large. Several in the house as well. Over the years, I've managed to put out 5 car fires. None of them my own, thankfully. Nothing like a little excitement now and then.

Great PSA.

I just bought one of these for my new Gladiator. While not the cheapest I do think it’s a fantastic option.

https://elementfire.com/

Why wasn't there a fire extinguisher in the house?

Are fire extinguishers for vehicles any different than the ones you keep under your kitchen sink?

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
Are fire extinguishers for vehicles any different than the ones you keep under your kitchen sink?

Short answer is they can be. But a generic (ABC) fire extinguisher will work almost as well.

I’ve used a fire extinguisher a lot over the years. And come to the conclusion that a small 2 1/2 pound is to small for anything other than maybe in your kitchen.
Need a five pound or larger for cars or larger fires.

Start with a ABC type extinguisher for many different types of fires.
Paper, wood, gasoline ,electric fires.

I've gotten to the point where I carry 2 in my Jeeps. One a dry chem for someone elses car. And then the Halon for mine! Too expensive to waste on another persons car that is too stupid or cheap to carry their own.

Reference the thread the other day about go fund me and what not. Halon is now over $100 each.

Incident 1: The college I went to put its students in nearby townhouses. My new-to-me used car had broken down and I determined that the carburetor was bad. I bought a replacement carb, replaced the old one in the parking lot, and hit the key to test my handiwork..with the hood still up, from the driver's seat I heard a woosh and saw a minnie volcano erupt between the hood gap and the windshield bottom. I rushed to the front of the car and found the entire engine compartment and the insulation on the bottom of the hood on fire. Ran inside and grabbed our townhouse fire extinguisher and after using it up and the fire still furiously burning, I ran to several neighbor's doors to borrow a couple more before finally putting the fire out.


Incident 2: I was driving home one evening in the SUV I would take 4 wheeling off-road. I had a fire extinguisher clamped to a roll bar, but had never had the need for it. I came up on a quiet intersection where an old station wagon with it's hood up and fire erupting out of the engine compartment, as the family stood in desperation nearby. I shouted that I had an extinguisher, pulled over, grabbed the extinguisher off the bracket, ran over to the fire and when I noticed the pin was missing, and so I hit the trigger...and nothing. Obviously at some point, likely while 4 wheeling, the pin had vibrated out and somehow the extinguisher had discharged. Nothing more I could do and we could hear the sirens from the nearby fire station approaching, and so I had to apologise and wish the family good luck, before leaving the scene.

Lessons learned:

1) have a fire extinguisher(s) readily available.

2) regularly inspect your fire extinguisher(s) to make sure they are in good working order.

Will large temperature swings a car sees affect how an extinguisher works?
Is any old house ABC gonna work after 130 storage in the summer and then after sitting at 5 in the winter?

Last used the car one in DC. It was rush hour and I saw black smoke ahead. Guy had smelled gas but it was a hot day, traffic was bad, etc.
It was a 2-3 pound, dry chemical. I could knock the flames down but they'd reignite. Finally can to a hose and grabbed a water hose. At that point I could keep the flames knocked down. The owner kept wanting to open the hood.
The fire department arrived ran their big hose out and stated spaying. A fireman in full bunker gear and a big pry back popped the hood to a burst of flames. They then got the fire out.
That night I bought a 10 pound extinguisher and a 15 pound for the house.

I have a couple in the house. I have to assume there are many who don't have one in their vehicle but will not admit it here because they are now labeled too stupid. I will bet we all do a few stupid things as well without really thinking about it. This stupid guy will get one for each vehicle today. I used to have them then they expired and never got replaced. On the other hand I have been driving now for 46 years and have never had a car fire or been in a situation where I could have helped anyone with a fire. But it only takes once.

The thread title got me thinking since I hope a guest’s vehicle isn’t the closest fire extinguisher.

The OP’s son might be in violation of their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance if they don’t have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. The insurance requirement drove me to purchasing my first fire extinguisher but now I think it’s a good idea so I have one regardless of whether or not my insurance requires it.

I have to give mine away (Usually to a neighbor who has 0) every time my employer moves me and the kitchen and garage fire extinguishers are 2 of my first purchases at the new location.

I've always carried one in my car and have used it a couple times when I've come across someone along the side of the road with an engine fire.

Good PSA - I've done this since my first-day-at-college experience. Literally 15 minutes after arriving at Auburn and stopping in a Wendy's, my VW bug caught on fire due to a fuel line leak. The cup of Coke did little to help, luckily someone had an extinguisher on hand.

Great start.

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
Great PSA.

I just bought one of these for my new Gladiator. While not the cheapest I do think it’s a fantastic option.

https://elementfire.com/

Thanks for that link. I'm going to grab one for myself. Looks like it beats the hell out of a canister extinguisher for car use, since it's smaller, doesn't expire or require maintenance, it's unaffected by temperature and humidity, lasts longer, and doesn't use powder.

The only downside seems to be that it's just a bit more expensive than a dry chemical can, but even then, it's only about twice the cost. (And it's about half the cost of a halon can.)

I'm the OP. I lost a Navy buddy to a fire in about 1973. He crashed a motorcycle into a car and the fuel tank ruptured on his Harley dousing him in gas. He died 3 days later.

I have been involved in at least 3 vehicle fires in my adult life. Two of these totaled vehicles including a nice 911. I have also been involved with a couple of structure fires in my life.

I think vehicle fires are less prevalent since fuel injection has replace carburetors. I will try to replace my exhausted extinguisher at Costco today,

Mike

Update. I bought 2 and my son bought 3 today.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mcrimm,

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
Great PSA.

I just bought one of these for my new Gladiator. While not the cheapest I do think it’s a fantastic option.

https://elementfire.com/

Thanks for the link I've wanted to carry an extinguisher in my truck but with all the other crap I have in there I had no idea how to pull it off. I'm going to order one of these for the truck and another to put out near the big green egg. It lives in an enclosed picnic type shelter and is kinda close to the chicken coop.