Car on fire last night!

[Commanderfish]

Wierd night last night. Dog woke me up barking at 00.50am. He is a puppy but hasn't done this at night before - he has just grown into a full fleged watch dog and barks when he can see/hear someone near the house.

I checked the Spider on the drive and round the house - all good. The neighbours were still having a party when I went to bed so I reckon it was the last of their guests who triggered my puppy alarm. Back to sleep.

3.30am. Car alarm out front somewhere. I am a light sleeper and was up before anyone in the street it seems. No need to check our Spider this time - car across the road and up a bit on fire with EIGHT FOOT FLAMES coming out of it! Wife wakes up and calls the fire brigade - no one else was awake yet, fire brigade didn't know about the blaze. Flames get bigger, 10 - 12 foot peak. I reckon this was the interior burning - ever seen a tent or camping chair burn at a festival? It was like that but bigger.

Fire brigade arrive in 3-4 mins flat (nice one boys), and knock on the door of burning car's house. Takes a while but residents eventually appear (WTF?!) Brigade allow car to burn out. Couple if minor explosions (like a little fire work, blue and white sparks), but no huge explosion of a petrol tanks like in the films.

I was thinking about this, actually isn't it very unlikely for a petrol tank to explode in the real world? There wouldn't be enough air or space in the tank for it to explode.

Turns out it was a new style Mini burning, on a drive way with 2 other cars. Now my instinct would be arson - except that that part of the road has a brand new Q7, Black Range Rover, nice MGB, BMW X5, generally nice expensive cars... who would set fire to the Mini? Maybe a grudge? Or are Mini's still death traps like the originals?!

[75twinsparky]

If you've ever seen Mythbusters on Discovery, then you'd know that no, fuel tanks do not usually explode like you see in the movies. Its the vapour thats explosive, not the liquid. They fired guns at fuel tanks and they even dissproved the myth about a trailing fuel leak catching fire, then catching up with the car and kaboom!

[BIDET FITZAKAZI]

Most probably upset someone, I haven't heard of suicidal Mini's pouring petrol over themselves or self igniting.

[jj147]

It's a good story!!

Here's a conspiracy ... the owners of the Mini torched it and didn't come out until there was defintely no chance of its' survival!! The motive?? Insurance payout and a brand new MiTo surely??

[Commanderfish]

Originally Posted by 75twinsparky

If you've ever seen Mythbusters on Discovery, then you'd know that no, fuel tanks do not usually explode like you see in the movies. Its the vapour thats explosive, not the liquid. They fired guns at fuel tanks and they even dissproved the myth about a trailing fuel leak catching fire, then catching up with the car and kaboom!

D'oh! I work for the Discovery Channel and haven't seen that ep!

[Commanderfish]

Originally Posted by jj147

It's a good story!!

Here's a conspiracy ... the owners of the Mini torched it and didn't come out until there was defintely no chance of its' survival!! The motive?? Insurance payout and a brand new MiTo surely??

God d*mn you should be a detective - that has to be it!

[jj147]

Originally Posted by Commanderfish

God d*mn you should be a detective - that has to be it!

*Begins to exit thread, turns from doorway* "Just one more thing ..."

I think I'd be a natural

[Nev]

It's the tyres that go pop, isn't it?

Didn't the "original" new Minis have a fire problem?

[75twinsparky]

liar liar your mini's on fire.........

[SPPalfa]

sounds like a revenge attach for something or other

[rarebear]

In Holland some Animal liberations terrorists are active and this week they burned a Volvo s80 and a X5 belonging to a former CEO of a company that did business with a laboratory in the UK that did tests on animals for their products. Must be something like that, we have are own Bin Laden type of ''freedom fighters''..... d*mn terrorists !!

[Ralf S.]

Flame on! I reckon Rex "smelt" the arsonistas..!

Ralf S.

[AGM155]

The thread title freaked me out...I thought it was one of your Bellas!

Bizzare happenings though...and thankfully it wasn't.

[Alfie GTV]

There was a few reports some time ago of the new style Mini's catching fire a while after being parked up.There was a report about it on watchdog.

[Hunter]

BBC News | BUSINESS | BMW recalls new Mini



Not so unusual in the states...

MINI COOPER :: North American Motoring - Spontaneous Engine Bay Fires!

Petrol tank explosions - no! Engines exploding yes!
I have witnessed on several occassions magnesium alloy wheels and engine blocks exploding into blinding lightballs when the car is on fire.

I was unfortunate enough to have to patrol riot scenes in SA in the '80s and '90s and burning cars were a common site but we soon learnt to identify MAG wheels and cars with Magnesium blocks and keep far away from them. The light is really brilliantly bright when they go up.

Quality tyres burst with a large bang but cheap tyres seem to fart to death.

I would prefer not to have those memorys though as often the driver and / or his family was still in the vehicle while it was burning.

Christ I hope we have moved on from those days... Please God.

[Commanderfish]

Originally Posted by Hunter

BBC News | BUSINESS | BMW recalls new Mini



Not so unusual in the states...

MINI COOPER :: North American Motoring - Spontaneous Engine Bay Fires!

Holy crap and that was on a mini forum - at least 30 minis bursting into flames by themselves

[Friggertool]

Only 30

[Alfa should buy]

it's mini experience.

[Gaz]

yep, minis had a 'spontaneous combustion' issue in the early years. something to do with static charges building up in the fuel filler neck or something like that. i thought they would have sorted it by now though

[Commanderfish]

Hiya guys, I have a sort of conclusion to this mystery. I spoke to the pwner of the Mini on christmas eve. She said they didn't come out of the house because they were scared that the other cars on the drive would catch fire and explode (in fact the other cars were damaged by the heat - one was a Chrysler people carrier *smirk* - sorry couldn't resist).

More interestingly, she said the Fire Investigation Unit spent a few hours on the scene straight after and could find no trace of petrol or any other accelerant. THey RULED OUT ARSON and concluded it was an ELECTRICAL FIRE from inside the car. This Mini was less than a year old I believe, so it sounds like the spontaneous combusting Power Steeing/ABS units may not have been sorted...

[Mr Green]

Originally Posted by Friggertool

Only 30

Every little helps

[TOX1C]

Originally Posted by Commanderfish

More interestingly, she said the Fire Investigation Unit spent a few hours on the scene straight after and could find no trace of petrol or any other accelerant. They RULED OUT ARSON and concluded it was an ELECTRICAL FIRE from inside the car.

I may be wrong but aren't all Minis internal combustion?

Probably improved its looks into the bargain!

Rob

[gavin dack]

That bad that is. Hope they get Insurance money fast.

[Commanderfish]

I'm just really glad my wife's Mini didn't burst into flame whilst parked next to my Brera. Now the Mini's been replaced with a Spider LE instead, so we're safe!

I'm very happy as my Brera has a lovely snug garage these days and is safe from bird poo, pollutants and spontaneously combusting BMW group vehicles

The poor Spider had cat foot prints on it yesterday