Student's car on fire! - More safety lessons learned.
06-13-2011, 09:13 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Student's car on fire! - More safety lessons learned.
This is the second (and hopefully last) installment of my "Safety Lessons Learned at the Track".
As a refresher the first installment concerned student hitting Jersey barrier at 100+ after spinning out in very recently dumped coolant.
This second lesson originates from student's car (older WRX STI) catching fire last Saturday.
The cause was a heat damaged oil supply line leading to external oil cooler. It failed and coated track and exhaust manifold with copious amounts of oil. The first clue was a big slide in T5A (fortunately a slow corner) and smoke. Student missed my instruction to stop near T5 corner station but he didn't miss my "GET OFF THE TRACK OVER THERE NOW" and a vigorus point to the base of T6 corner station.
I had him paused exiting car for just a moment to make sure we wouldn't get run over by a following car. Instructed him to open the hood as I went for the fire extinguisher only 10-15 feet away. Pulled the pin and got back to the car just as he popped open the hood. Flames and black smoke shot out, fortunately only on one side. Shooting from above and below slowed down the fire considerably before emptying the extinguisher. Time seemed to stop waiting for the safety truck but they arrived in time to completely kill the fire.
Things to think about when there is a fire:
1) If you have time get off track and drive quickly to nearest corner station. Unless the car is engulfed in flames make sure it is safe before jumping out of car.
2) Be ready to abandon the fire if it is burning vigorously or near fuel tank. Fortunately I had on all my racing gear except for the balaclava. I forgot to flip down my visor.
3) Be careful of smoke and extinguisher material. I was careless and got one big snort of smoke and halon. Smoke is bad, halon can be worse as it can settle in the bottom of your lungs. Amazingly there had been a car fire the day before that sent the driver to the hospital for smoke/halon issues. I had at least 20 people warn me about the halon.
4) If track is safe and distances are not to great immediately send someone to adjoining corner stations for more fire fighting equipment. You never know how long it will take for the safety truck to arrive.
I'm also a scuba diver so I know the benefits of breathing oxygen early and often. When I felt dizzy back in the paddoc went to the first aid truck for oxygen, check-up and 2-1/2 bottles of water (hydration is also critical). After a good lunch I felt fine and returned to driving/instructing.
I am one of the few that wears nomex everything: three layer driving suit, sox, shoes, gloves. I always wear full face helmet on the track, open face only for skills days. I think I will continue the dress code.
Maybe I should take up knitting...
Dean
As a refresher the first installment concerned student hitting Jersey barrier at 100+ after spinning out in very recently dumped coolant.
This second lesson originates from student's car (older WRX STI) catching fire last Saturday.
The cause was a heat damaged oil supply line leading to external oil cooler. It failed and coated track and exhaust manifold with copious amounts of oil. The first clue was a big slide in T5A (fortunately a slow corner) and smoke. Student missed my instruction to stop near T5 corner station but he didn't miss my "GET OFF THE TRACK OVER THERE NOW" and a vigorus point to the base of T6 corner station.
I had him paused exiting car for just a moment to make sure we wouldn't get run over by a following car. Instructed him to open the hood as I went for the fire extinguisher only 10-15 feet away. Pulled the pin and got back to the car just as he popped open the hood. Flames and black smoke shot out, fortunately only on one side. Shooting from above and below slowed down the fire considerably before emptying the extinguisher. Time seemed to stop waiting for the safety truck but they arrived in time to completely kill the fire.
Things to think about when there is a fire:
1) If you have time get off track and drive quickly to nearest corner station. Unless the car is engulfed in flames make sure it is safe before jumping out of car.
2) Be ready to abandon the fire if it is burning vigorously or near fuel tank. Fortunately I had on all my racing gear except for the balaclava. I forgot to flip down my visor.
3) Be careful of smoke and extinguisher material. I was careless and got one big snort of smoke and halon. Smoke is bad, halon can be worse as it can settle in the bottom of your lungs. Amazingly there had been a car fire the day before that sent the driver to the hospital for smoke/halon issues. I had at least 20 people warn me about the halon.
4) If track is safe and distances are not to great immediately send someone to adjoining corner stations for more fire fighting equipment. You never know how long it will take for the safety truck to arrive.
I'm also a scuba diver so I know the benefits of breathing oxygen early and often. When I felt dizzy back in the paddoc went to the first aid truck for oxygen, check-up and 2-1/2 bottles of water (hydration is also critical). After a good lunch I felt fine and returned to driving/instructing.
I am one of the few that wears nomex everything: three layer driving suit, sox, shoes, gloves. I always wear full face helmet on the track, open face only for skills days. I think I will continue the dress code.
Maybe I should take up knitting...
Dean
06-13-2011, 09:27 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
Don't bring that luck to VIR! 
See you soon buddy!
All good points! It happens fast dosen't it.
Jim
See you soon buddy!
All good points! It happens fast dosen't it.
Jim
06-15-2011, 02:24 PM
#10
Safety Car
Think about FE-36 material from DuPont. Halon is toxic. AFEE is a liquid which will screw up your electronics - maybe. NOVEC from 3M is the new kid on the block. It's stored as a liquid and dispersed as a gas. SPA just loves the stuff.
NASCAR requires a separate bottle for your fuel cell/tank. People are using any wheres from 4 to 8 nozzles. A basic system is right around $500. It goes up above $1,000 if you're serious.
Talk to the Fire Bottle folks. They're nice people and they sell the FE-36
btw - Have you tried to see how fast you can get out of your car with a helmet and HANS device on? Practice it.
Richard Newton
NASCAR requires a separate bottle for your fuel cell/tank. People are using any wheres from 4 to 8 nozzles. A basic system is right around $500. It goes up above $1,000 if you're serious.
Talk to the Fire Bottle folks. They're nice people and they sell the FE-36
btw - Have you tried to see how fast you can get out of your car with a helmet and HANS device on? Practice it.
Richard Newton
06-16-2011, 10:48 AM
#11
Burning Brakes
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