Be careful parking over weeds!

[muebe]

We had a guy at work that pulled over on the side of the road to answer the phone. He parked over some weeds and the truck caught fire!



Be careful guys and gals where you park on a hot day.

[sliding_billy]

Wow.  That is terrible.

[Scallywag]

Yikes!

[drholly]

I hope he got out ok!

[muebe]

I hope he got out ok!

Yes he is fine.

[smoker pete]

Glad your co-worker is fine.  The fire may have been caused by the Catalytic converter.  Here's a little clip about possible dangers with them ...

Car owners have also discovered that a catalytic converter can be a fire hazard. Since 1975, fire departments have found that many automotive fires have been started because a motorist parked a car over dry leaves. Even with the engine turned off a hot catalytic converter can emit sparks (Catalytic converters can get as hot as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit) which can ignite leaves underneath. Should that unfortunate event happen, your car could be devoured by flames within minutes and destroyed.

[muebe]

Glad your co-worker is fine.  The fire may have been caused by the Catalytic converter.  Here's a little clip about possible dangers with them ...

Car owners have also discovered that a catalytic converter can be a fire hazard. Since 1975, fire departments have found that many automotive fires have been started because a motorist parked a car over dry leaves. Even with the engine turned off a hot catalytic converter can emit sparks (Catalytic converters can get as hot as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit) which can ignite leaves underneath. Should that unfortunate event happen, your car could be devoured by flames within minutes and destroyed.

Yep. That is what we believe happened. Dry tumble weeds and a hot catalytic converter. I have seen the converter glowing red hot when an engine is out of tune.

[pz]

Nasty fire... although I've been aware about this hazard for years, it is really easy to forget - nice to have a reminder once in a while, but too bad your friend had to lose his vehicle.  At least he got out okay.

[Keymaster]

Great Warning Michael !!

[TMB]

Yep, I have see a few come through work on the way to the body shop.  Weeds and exaust systems don't mix well

[RAD]

HC - Glad nothing bad happened to him.

[TwoPockets]

Glad he is OK. I had the same thing happen with a 1975 Ford truck I had. I pulled into a field full of sagebrush and got out to go dove shooting and looked back to see smoke coming out from under the truck.

[TentHunteR]

Yep, I know someone that this happened to. He was going hunting and pulled into a dry weedy area to park his truck.

Glad he's OK, and thanks for the warning!  It's an easy thing to do too without even thinking about it.

[Susie-Que]

Nobody told me that could happen until now.  We get grass fires here.

Thanks for posting this.

[GrillGeek]

I've been on a few fires that have been attributed to Catalytic Converters...

The new diesels are even more dangerous with their regen systems. I was on a fire a few years back watching a Type 3 fire engine start their own grass fire as they romped through the grass attempting to flank it. Funny, but scary.