Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 23:38:49 -0500
Reply-To: robertmstewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: robertmstewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Subject: Yesterday's Engine Fire in Rockefeller Center NYC
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
So yesterday 12.16.03 at 5:30pm I pick up my 89 Carat Vanagon with 150,000
miles on it from the garage in NYC. Like always it starts right up and
drives great, 10 minutes later while listening to my new Little Feat CD
³time loves a hero² we pull past the Rockefeller center area where the big
Christmas tree is and thousands of tourist visiting the tree and the city.
I then hear a voice and turn around itıs a Police officer screaming at my
girlfriend and I that there is smoke coming from the engine!
I scream out at her to turn the engine off and jump out of the van, in
seconds grabbing the fire extinguisher behind the drivers seat.
I run to the back of the van to see ³dark black smoke² billowing out of rear
drivers side of the van near the oil filter, I crawl down on the cement
floor of the street and see 6² round sheets of flaming liquid, gas or oil is
dripping from the center front of the engine, closer to bumper area.
I then aim the extinguisher at the fire area and hit it, the extinguisher is
out in 8 seconds! I canıt believe it!... I try again but itıs dead! I just
purchased the unit in July so it was new and had a full charge. I was blown
away that this automotive extinguisher would last such a short time.
So I see this Police officer stand 10ı away and hit the vanıs outer body! I
am thinking to myself why is he doing this? I scream out at him to hand it
to me, but he then says that itıs out! I ask if any of the 5 Police
officerıs have any other extinguishers, he says no.... I am absolutely in
shock at this point. The middle of Rockefeller center with no fire
extinguishers! What would they do if there was small local fire I am
thinking!?
So I am told by the police to Get back!, Get Back! As I am in complete
amazement and shock as I slowly watch the small flame become bigger and
grow, my blanket and sleeping bag in the back in the rear of van sitting on
top of the foam engine pad all start to catch, the entire fire is on the
drivers side rear of the van where the oil filter is. It grows up the side
of the van, than melts the interior and exterior vent, and then the ac unit
melts off, and drops down, but that catches the rest of the vanıs interior
and it just goes, and goes till there is nothing left... Every piece of
foam, seating material, the steering wheel, even part of the dash and most
of body panels are melted off.
The Fire Department finally arrives and puts out the fire with their hoses,
axes out all of the windows and it just sits in a smoldering smoking dark
water bath scented by burnt toxic plastic.
I am interviewed by 2 detectives, they take take my address, and name, ask
to see my license and ask if there is anything explosive in the van? I tell
them just a can engine degreaser that I could hear popped but was no big
boom. Then I talk to someone from Rockefeller Center Security, and then 2
other Police officers, then all of a sudden I see a video camera in front of
me and two people with press passes hanging on their neck. Itıs a major
Japanese news network and they interview me about what happened and video
tape the vanıs burning and water dousing. Finally I speak to the Fire
department and I am able to fish out of the rubble my original Vanagon
silver pouch with my registration and insurance info to give to Fire
Department captain.
The Police tell me they are towing the van several blocks away, from their
itıs my responsibility to get it taken away to salvage yard. So my
girlfriend and I walk following the van as it is slowly dragged while in
park, down 5th Ave past Saks fifth avenueıs famous Christmas window. I am
walking in the street following the van and then loose it. I go home and my
girlfriend calls the police to find itıs location several times, we
eventually find it, and I start calling salvage companies to pickup the
vehicle to take to junk yard. I finally get one of them to come and pick up
the van for $75 dollars. I go and meet the truck and they tell me they canıt
take it itıs to badly damaged. So today a day later, I finally found someone
to take it, the operator says to me... ³Yeah I know this van, I have picked
up 3 of them this year... You have bad fuel line that leaked right?² I
say... ³I think so but I donıt know.². He then tells me that itıs little
known fact that the fuel lines go on these vans and most early VWıs. I take
some photoıs of the toasted vehicle and say goodbye to my beloved 89 Carat
that for the 6 months that I owned her brought me so much driving joy and
happiness, camping in it and making wonderful country summer journeys, I
then decide not to watch him pull off but to walk away and not look back. I
know sheıs gone and my VW dream is gone.
I had spent 5 years looking for that Blue Carat van, and had it shipped from
Florida to NY.
http://www.homepage.mac.com/rmstewart
(see photoıs of the van and the toasted carat)
So thatıs my long winded story, sorry if it bored you, maybe it even
entertained you. I learned some lessons, but now my girlfriend tells me she
does not want me to buy another one cause of the fire so I will look for
something else, not sure what. Maybe one day I will get another and next
time put on steel braided fuel lines (if thatıs possible).
Thank you to everyone on the list for your years of advice, and wealth of
knowledge. Eventually when I have some time I plan on signing off the list
but until then thanks again for everything.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all.
Robert
89 Carat Toasted
NYC
