Close call...

[BigWillie44mag]

That is why the angle of approach is 45 degrees...

[maddog5857]

After having been in the fire service for 35 years and holding every position from Chief on down, I can guarantee that it is not a piston. It is one of the energy absorbing shocks found in 5 mph bumpers. These scare the bejesus out of you when they go off and can kill you if they hit you. Car have all kinds of things that don't take to well to heat. The funnist one is to have a rookie standing next to a tire that blows, they fill their diapers. Be Safe

[ryantripy]

Are we sure this wasn't a bumper? Sometimes bumpers can do that when a car's on fire and blow off.

[HidingInDarkness]

Thats why you always come in from a 45 degree angle :) Got to watch out for those darn shock-absorbers.

[Darbalarb1]

Everyone relax... That was an exploding shock-absorber in the front bumper.. We are trained to attack vehicle fires as 45 degree angles to avoid the danger zone... stay safe

[SplitSecondTowing]

MacPherson struts are commonly filled with nitrogen, an inert gas, but under high pressure, when heated to the kinds of temperatures seen in fires of this nature, they explode, alot like what i see in this video. I'm thinkin strut, just my opinion.

[tgulch1]

I wouldnt call it a close call. It is expected and happens often, and the FF responding did everything appropriate.

[isuzuEH]

definitely not a close call the guys attacked the vehicle at a proper angle and stayed away from that flying bumper shock

[420leadville719]

7 people thought the explosion wud be bigger

[javelin954]

this has happend to me on a few calls i went to. scared to poop out of me the first time it happend tho

[tspragg1]

we saw this video in our department, as a demonstration of a blown bumper piston.

[MsAutobodyman]

what was that?

[shmeeganhoff]

@MsAutobodyman a motor piston

[snowbum13]

@shmeeganhoff

Thats actually a Bumper.

[ambiguity22]

@shmeeganhoff

Moron. The engine isn't running, and a piston would be 1/10th that size and fire (usually) straight up.

The bang you hear is one of the pistons in the bumper reaching critical mass and exploding, sending a section of the bumper flying.

Automobile Fires 101: Never stand directly in front of the bumper.

[kunzy04]

@shmeeganhoff I think its a bumper shock, there isn't anything to propel a piston like that

[kunzy04]

@shmeeganhoff No that was a bumper shock

[olvanish]

@shmeeganhoff You do realize that an average motor piston weighs about 10 ounces, and is about 3 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep right? Whatever that was-- that wasn't a piston (maybe something that got pushed by it, but definitely not a damn piston), but yea it could definitely f*** someone up

[FuckinCrazyness]

big fucking deal. that aint hardcore. not even close, wouldnt hardly hurt

[shmeeganhoff]

@FuckinCrazyness yes, because a 15 pound motor piston flying at mach 5 wouldnt hurt at all. sorry theres no death in this video so its not "hardcore"

[USMC3531tsd]

@shmeeganhoff < First off piston are NOT 15 pounds and there is NO WAY POSSIBLE for a dead piston to just up and start flying. Second off that was a BUMPER SHOCK and the fireman triggered it with the hose, I do it all the time. Those Shocks are spring loaded and hella dangerous so we trigger them intentionally to render then safe...this was in no way a close call.

[streetstream]

@shmeeganhoff Where do you live when a car piston weighs 15 pounds? Jupiter?

[fireboyseth45]

@FuckinCrazyness Wow dude. An LODD is not cool.

[FireExplorerPC]

@FuckinCrazyness Dude shut the fuck up! That would hurt, a motor piston weighs about 20-25LBS. It being shot out like that will that amount of pressure would break a bone.

[MRBEEF1000]

@FuckinCrazyness so u stand in front of it ive see a pistin from a honda civic tear my buddys leg off he was running right in front of me a bang there goes his leg

[132deejay]

@FuckinCrazyness fuck you dont say stuff if tis mean bitch

[johnsmithy667]

@robby844 woah calm down there buddy..... all i was saying was its becoming more and more popular, i never said it didn't exist before.... and i never said the triton was in the taurus? i said the triton was an example of an engine.... i dont think the triton even existed the model year taurus i was refering to, and why the fuck would they put a v8 truck engine in a midsized sedan? take it easy with the comment editing julian assange.

[ArmyRescue2]

a perfect example of why you go at it at a 45 dargree angle

[johnsmithy667]

also just a note on the video... gotta watch out for the pistons on hatch-backs and suvs, ive seen that stuff explode too

[marcx3333]

what it is is either the wheels, or the engine block (depending on make and model) has magnesium which is combusting at a very high temp. once water hits the magnesium combustion, it separates the hydrogen, and oxygen from the water, which then explodes (again, magnesium burns are such a high temp). both materials are highly explosive, and unstable.

[USMC3531tsd]

@marcx3333 < If you were a firefighter you'd automatically recognize BUMPER SHOCK. Magnesium in the wheels? Are you high?

[marcx3333]

people..people.. people..

im a firefighter and i have seen this happen. what it is is either the wheels, or the engine block (depending on make and model) has magnesium which is combusting at a very high temp. once water hits the magnesium combustion, it separates the hydrogen, and oxygen from the water, which then explodes (again, magnesium burns are such a high temp). both materials are highly explosive, and unstable.

[johnsmithy667]

@superrhino100

false. bmw, volkswagen & early ford taurus's (just to name a few known ones...) all have magnesium engine blocks/part of the block is magnesium... 1. im a firefighter & I HAVE SEEN IT IN PERSON... multiple times... 2. its online, its not a big secret. its becoming much more popular.

@marcx3333

you're also wrong. it wont "explode" per say when you hit it with water. but when you do, its all or nothing, if you're losing keep going until its obviously a lost cause and becomes unsafe

[johnsmithy667]

@superrhino100 i mean just for the record, im not trying to start a fight, im just clearin the air about some fact haha. actually read up on german manufacturers, bmw is using magnesium/aluminum engines in a shit load of new models. not sure which ones, but i know they're all over the place

[superrhino100]

@johnsmithy667 ok well I guess you are the absolute most know it all individual on the planet...you have obviously been a firefighter and auto engineer and chemistry professor for many many many years and know the exact make up of every little thing and how to build it and how to fight it if it catches fire. Thanks for the lessons in life and I do hope you will continue to teach us all so much!

[robby844]

@johnsmithy667 shitload of NEW models? are you sure about that?

[johnsmithy667]

@robby844 jesus im just tellin you guys to try to help out and im getting eaten alive here haha.... yeah, magnesium composite engines and engine components are a big thing on new cars because they're lightweight and relatively durable. i mean that's from what ive read. for example the bmw n52 engine, ford triton engine, instrument panel beans on cadillacs and cam head covers (i think) on vipers all consist of magnesium composites

[robby844]

@johnsmithy667 maybe you need to do some research and come back.BMW has been using magnesium for WELL over 50 years.its nothing new.shit the BMW motorcycle engines (flat twins) have been magnesium since the 40's. btw what engine was magnesium on the tauruses?

[robby844]

@johnsmithy667 ok im just asking here...... do you really think the triton is in the tauruses?

[johnsmithy667]

@robby844 as for the engine, i have no idea. if you don't want to take my word for it that the taurus (which was never modified) we burned had magnesium lighting up, fine, that's on you

[marcx3333]

people..people.. people..

im a firefighter and i have seen this happen. what it is is either the wheels, or the engine block (depending on make and model) has magnesium which is combusting at a very high temp. once water hits the magnesium combustion, it separates the hydrogen, and oxygen from the water, which then explodes (again, magnesium burns are such a high temp). both materials are highly explosive, and unstable.

[GreatJay23]

Not sure the extra tags were necessary...

[ClimberGirl1stRM]

thats why we dont stand in front for bumper......awesome footage

[chAse734]

and that is why you approach from a 45 degree angle ...

[blinko656]

Nice video. That was close..

[RCcustomPD]

are you a cop or anything cause of the radio.

[robertgift]

Good attack angle: up wind, not in front of vehicle.

Lucky the bumper damper did not explode while firefighter was heading to his position.

Such shocks should be made with a meltable pressure release plug.

New ones are.

With such a fully involved vehicle, a truck mounted nozzle would be safer for intial quick attack.

Could not pull preconnect from engineer's side?

[insanebass09]

what!that is not a close call. they had a lot of space.

[theatomicfart1001]

That's y when u get to a car fire with the tires still inflated u pop em

[volff130]

@theatomicfart1001 id like to see u go up to a fully involved car and pop the tires

[JJacobs107]

Its an 1 3/4" preconnect pulled out of the front deck of the truck. In Charlotte county they only have 2 men on an engine and the bumper springs are what exploded. I know this for fact because I'm in fire school with a medic who works for Charlotte county. One of the things I don't agree with in the video is whoever pulled the attack line didn't put on his SCBA.

[ltfm161]

Ok, This is my department. These are my Bro's..In our area during the time of year this occurred we have the potential for massive brushfires. The line you see coming out is a 1 3/4" line. First priority is to confine the fire from spreading into the acres of brush off screen to the left. The car is already a loss. We are a fully paid Fire/EMS dept. who, because of idiot County Commisionner, are relagated to minimum staffing of 2 to an engine, 3 in the busier companies

[sidewalksofnj]

Booster line is NOT an attack line. In 26 years of fire service I have used boosters to extinguish car fires 200 PSI is plenty of pressure. Do i like it ?nope .. i rather stretch 2 L of 1 3/4 line . Also the rig should had passed the burning car , is was down wind instead of Up wind ...

[Lfdjake91]

My dept had much the same thing happen about a year ago. A fully envolved car (next to a house) that exploded just as we were approching it. It sent the bumpers and metal fragments flying past us. Fortunately we had approched from an angle so everyone was safely out of the way.

[vryez2xlr8]

Laptopboy, because a booster line doesn't supply enough GPM of water to adequately extinguish the flames as per NFPA. Booster lines are only supposed to be used for grass fires or small incipient fires, or woods fires. A lot of fire engines come with a quick attack front jump line that is designed for vehicle fires.

[laptopboy13]

ok, that makes sence. thx yall.

[chechnya]

You seem knowledgeable. For a car fire, how many GPM do you need? How many GPM do booster lines provide typically?

[ellisfd4821son]

in thier defense they were under manned and it was easier

[laptopboy13]

Ive never had this kind of fire and ive never realy been trained in it. My only questions is why did he use an attack line when it would be easier to use a booster line?

[Lfdjake91]

Vryez2xlr8 is correct. Although booster lines have fallen out of favor w/ many Dept I still like them because of their quick deployment for small fires.Problem is they should never be used for a primary or secondary attack line or for any fire of any consequence as they don't have enough pressure to knock down anything big.

[sargesss]

is it a coincidence that it explode when the water hit the car

[tubesteakdynamo]

@Sargesss, you're possibly correct in a way. Figure the axle and wheel are super heated and expanded, tire is still holding air til you hit that wheel with water shrinking that metal back down blowing the bead and sending whatever's in it's way flying. At least that's what it looked like.

[sargesss]

thats what i was thinking

[volff130]

@tubesteakdynamo it was the bumper shock. and plus it that car is that involved the tires would have already melted

[tubesteakdynamo]

@volff130, I've seen fully involved cars with tires still inflated, they burn from the outside. Anyway, could be one could be the other, both are valid. Either way the Firemen in this vid were out of the way. In fact the Man on the hose placed himself away from the direction and seemed to shoot it first to get it out of the way. Not a "close call"

[volff130]

@tubesteakdynamo you dont have to tell me how shit burns i work on a farm and i am a volunteer firemen so ive seen plenty of tires and stuff burn

[808514]

oooooohhhhh baby

[souderico]

send this video to the mythbusters since they couldn't figure out that this happens all the time. thank god they knew not to stand in front of the car!

[CFCdirty12dozen]

there is liquid and gas in the struts that hold the truck and hood and all open, car fires cause that to heat and sometimes explode which is why we aproach from an angle

[souderico]

as a firefighter i know that it pays to train. this could be a good training video

[CFCdirty12dozen]

yeah it would be good, just to put the fear in people to keep them from making a simple mistake. you should always be training and if you sitting at the station go over how to do stuff

[rkj4107]

The front and rear bumpers on old Volvos have shock absorbers too.

[jmtsao]

You never stand in front of, behind or to the side of the car.

[MeTooHigh]

@souderico i was so surprised with mythbusters. the first thing my fire professors told me is when it comes to car fires shit will fly straight at you then when it hits you it will just keep going. all mythbusters had to do was google it to find pics and videos.

[drbackjack]

@souderico

Thats not a bumper, its a piston.

[shadowr434]

@drbackjack How could you even remotely think that its a piston?Lets just entertain the thought for a second. What would make a piston fly out of a car? Nothing like that and lets say it was,it wouldn't come out of the front of the vehicle,it would come up out of the hood. This was the pressured shock on the bumper just like all the other guys have said. I've seen this a few times in the fire dept and as said elsewhere, thats why you attack from an angle.

[drbackjack]

@shadowr434

Your sarcasm meter needs adjustment.

[shadowr434]

@drbackjack Your probably right.

[counter6strike]

theirs only two guys on that rig not smart one need to control the pump one on the nozzle and one with the tools to make access to small spots like the hood and trunk and doors you kno

[firestud41]

Many fire departments operate with limited personnel these days. 2 guys on an engine crew is not optimal or preferred, however, if thats what ya have, its what ya have. Cant stand around doing nothing because youre short staffed. But to partially agree with you, its a risk benefit analysis, risk a little to save a little, risk alot to save alot, risk nothing to save nothing. In this instance, the vehicle is unsavable. Just keep it from spreading. AND WEAR PROPER PPE!

[CyanoticFuture]

@firestud41 Actually many FDS with 3 man engine crews refuse to even enter a burning building until backup arrives,regardless of whether or not people are trapped.I can name a few by me off the top of my head.Thats because 1 guy has to be officer,1 guy has to run the pump and minimum of 2 go in -2 in 2 out.Cant do that with 3 certainly not with 2.Dont like that?Bitch to your council and see how much moneyn that they waste on frivolous projects instead of investing in adequate manpower.

[Thenews72]

Sometimes 2 is all you need, it could have been a volunteer company, and those were the only 2 that could make it.

[bigmlt3]

Yea that was the bumper shock.

[UTRproductions]

cool

[WRCATFISH]

tires blow all the time. that was good footage though. it looked to me like everything was done smartly and i cant knock the technique

[Dobey7590]

zing! lol!!!

[MettaFireRescue]

2 Years ago I had decals posted in front of every officer seat and jump seat on every piece of apparatus in our department. They cost $140 for 500. (I paid out of my pocket) They say: "COMPLETE PPE: Every call. EVERY TIME!" I'd rather spend $140 on decals than $140 on black bunting. STAY SMART! STAY SAFE!

[kb7obm]

text book reason to always approach vehicle fires at 45 degree angle, watch the postioning of the appartatus as well, make sure firefighters pack up for car fires! stay safe so everyone goes home!

[jd651988]

good coment. you said exactly what i was going to say. and as for packing up we should all remember what is burning when a car is on fire. plascics, metals, wires, fluids, gases, and so much more that makes smoke from these fires just as toxic if not more toxic than the smoke from a structure fire. everyone stay low, stay safe, and help us lose less brothers

[oshatio]

That is why you don't attack from the front

[1wickedfireman3]

Wasnt expecting that pop!!!

[mathiastheok]

Bumper shocks. Broke one of our FF's legs when it went off after the fire was out....scary stuff...

[imstretch]

That guy was lucky.

We had a fireman in Brisbane killed when a tire from a forklift on fire blew off, went literally through the open drivers door through the cabin and hit the fireman who was standing next to the open passengers front door.

Killed instantly :(

R.I.P

[harwetopa]

My condolences, from Cincinnati, OH

[kelsishea08]

i think it was a tire m a firefighter and shit happens but at least they were at a safe distance

[chechnya]

so what was the thing that flew from the car? a bumper shock? airbag?

[shmeeganhoff]

an engine piston

[SFD552]

that was the cylinoid from the dampening system in the bumper. when they get heated to a high enough temperature they will explode. sometimes they blow the whole bumper off.

[shmeeganhoff]

whatever floats your boat

[DevinL16]

@shmeeganhoff your being sarcastic right....thats like syaing it was the spare tire in the trunk

[shmeeganhoff]

@DevinL16 Yes.

[ryanlovestosnowboard]

@shmeeganhoff thats actually one of the pieces of the bumper

[campus189]

Good thing these firefighters knew about vehicle placement & didn't park next to it :)

[firefightin06]

thats why you never stand in front of a burning vehicle

[shmeeganhoff]

he wasnt that was the second piston, before that they were behind the truck itself

[bussellboy]

wow good thing no one got hurt

[TotallyOveratedWagon]

Oh boy!

[XxhakiaxX]

wow 1591!!!

[XxhakiaxX]

Dude your video is getting around fast 1069 views!

[Drelikk1]

luckily no one was hit.

[shmeeganhoff]

dude that was a real call

[XxhakiaxX]

WOW....