My M37 Electrical Fire Story (Long)
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:27 am
This happened to me many years ago and is a true story.
FIRE!
When the fumes ignited the fire spoke for the first but not the last time, sounding like a large dog uttering a single bark on a dark night after hearing something in the distance, it went WOOF....
When I first started a landscaping business my equipment consisted of a two axle trailer a Massey Ferguson MF 65 tractor with loader attachment and a 1952 M 37 Dodge. The truck was from a trade deal that brought it to me in exchange for a USAF arctic top and fuel burning heater equipped M 38A1 Jeep. I had used the Dodge for several years as a commuter vehicle while working for a local landscaping company and had decided to go into business for my self. At the time no space was available at my home to keep the equipment so I had stored it at my wife's Grandmother's farm several miles away. The property had a large barn and was located down a narrow descending lane about 300 yards from the farm house that was home to Grandmother. No electric, phone or water service was available at the barn but that had never been a problem. Business was brisk and fueling was made easier than stopping at a service station each day due to having a 500 gallon gasoline storage tank with hand pump located at the top of the hill on the lane that led down to where the truck, tractor and trailer were stored. At the end of each day the truck and tractor's tanks were filled and then driven to where they were parked for the night.
At the end of one work day and while gassing up I noticed one of the Dodge's tail lights was not lit. Thinking I would investigate at the barn I continued to pump. Not having my mind on what I was doing and thinking about the non-working light I over filled the tank and gas was all the way up into the filler neck before I noticed. No fuel was spilled on the ground so the cap was replaced, fuel hose hung up and down the hill we went. I left the engine running and the lights on while the out of service light was investigated. After removing the light door and finding the bulbs to be good the wiring was checked. The orig military wires had not been replaced and it seemed they were Ok but as I continued to look and move them around I noticed a small spark. It was not a continuous spark but just a flash. Unknown to me however was that by overfilling the gas tank some had leaked from around the pick-up tube or the sending unit probably due to old dried gasket material and driving down the sloped farm lane had allowed fuel to seep onto the tank's top. Still thinking I might be able to tape the offending wires they were pulled and tugged on to provide some slack and being tired from a 12 hour days work I failed to grasp the the important fact that high amp 24V is a bad thing when grounded, left the lights on and battery connected.
When the fumes ignited the fire spoke for the first but not the last time, sounding like a large dog uttering a single bark on a dark night that had heard something in the distance it went WOOF.... My heart raced as I grabbed the fire extinguisher. After all it was a small fire after the fumes had burned and surely I would be able to put it out, right? Not so, already the heat was expanding the gasoline in the overfilled tank and was continuing to flow from the tank's top. As the insulation burned from the wires the spark became an arc sounding like frying eggs in a hot pan.
The fire blazed, wires sizzled and the extinguisher hissed as more and more fuel to the fire now sprayed from the tank's top. Then it happened, the little dry chemical extinguisher ran dry. In panic mode I did a even dumber thing than not over fueling the tank or not disconnecting the battery. I jumped onto the cargo box of the now blazing truck which contained a cutting torch, hose and bottles which I dumped over the side to keep them away from the ever increasing inferno and by then the tires were burning.
The nearest telephone was located at Grandmother's house, up the hill and over 900 feet away so up the hill I ran and guess what, she was talking on the phone. Told her my truck was on fire and she hung up and handed it to me. Now no dial tone came thru the receiver and it took several min. to get one. Seemed like forever, here I am in full panic and can't get the fire company on the line. Finally got thru to them, told what was going on and where and about the cutting torch, tanks and bulk gasoline tank they would pass on the way to the burning Dodge, they were not happy but said they would be on the way.
I ran back down the hill and found the fire had not spread to the cab's canvas top and attempted so save that. The fire was still confined to the sides and rear of the bed so I cut the straps and ropes securing the top, flipped it over to the hood and out of the retaining slot above the windshield.
Now the tires began to explode with a dull boom and fire was now around the gas cap as pressure in the tank, pushed fuel from under and around it.
As I watched my landscaping business going up in flames and smoke accompanied by all the sounds a fast burning fire makes, boiling, burning gasoline the crackling of the wooden rake and shovel handles, popping of the tires and moaning of the owner I heard another sound in the distance... fire engine sirens.
It had taken them at least 10 min. to get to the fire and had it under control in another 30 but the damage was done, anything at the rear of the now smoking Dodge that could burn had. Rubber hoses, both brake and fuel fill were gone. Wiring was toast also as were the tires the wood seats and lazy backs. Lights and reflectors were beyond use and when I later removed the wheels and brake drums found the rear wheel cyls. and shoes also would need to be replaced.
After the fire was out one of the firemen offered a cup of water to me and as I stood there trying not to spill it because of my uncontrollable shaking most likely from adrenalin overload he said every fire company in the county had been put on alert because no one knew exactly how large the blaze was with the welding tanks and gasoline storage they wanted to be as ready as possible..
The truck was eventually repaired, repainted and put back into service and a much larger extinguisher was carried along with more insurance and much later the truck was sold but the memory of that day and those sounds will be with me as long as I am alive
FIRE!
When the fumes ignited the fire spoke for the first but not the last time, sounding like a large dog uttering a single bark on a dark night after hearing something in the distance, it went WOOF....
When I first started a landscaping business my equipment consisted of a two axle trailer a Massey Ferguson MF 65 tractor with loader attachment and a 1952 M 37 Dodge. The truck was from a trade deal that brought it to me in exchange for a USAF arctic top and fuel burning heater equipped M 38A1 Jeep. I had used the Dodge for several years as a commuter vehicle while working for a local landscaping company and had decided to go into business for my self. At the time no space was available at my home to keep the equipment so I had stored it at my wife's Grandmother's farm several miles away. The property had a large barn and was located down a narrow descending lane about 300 yards from the farm house that was home to Grandmother. No electric, phone or water service was available at the barn but that had never been a problem. Business was brisk and fueling was made easier than stopping at a service station each day due to having a 500 gallon gasoline storage tank with hand pump located at the top of the hill on the lane that led down to where the truck, tractor and trailer were stored. At the end of each day the truck and tractor's tanks were filled and then driven to where they were parked for the night.
At the end of one work day and while gassing up I noticed one of the Dodge's tail lights was not lit. Thinking I would investigate at the barn I continued to pump. Not having my mind on what I was doing and thinking about the non-working light I over filled the tank and gas was all the way up into the filler neck before I noticed. No fuel was spilled on the ground so the cap was replaced, fuel hose hung up and down the hill we went. I left the engine running and the lights on while the out of service light was investigated. After removing the light door and finding the bulbs to be good the wiring was checked. The orig military wires had not been replaced and it seemed they were Ok but as I continued to look and move them around I noticed a small spark. It was not a continuous spark but just a flash. Unknown to me however was that by overfilling the gas tank some had leaked from around the pick-up tube or the sending unit probably due to old dried gasket material and driving down the sloped farm lane had allowed fuel to seep onto the tank's top. Still thinking I might be able to tape the offending wires they were pulled and tugged on to provide some slack and being tired from a 12 hour days work I failed to grasp the the important fact that high amp 24V is a bad thing when grounded, left the lights on and battery connected.
When the fumes ignited the fire spoke for the first but not the last time, sounding like a large dog uttering a single bark on a dark night that had heard something in the distance it went WOOF.... My heart raced as I grabbed the fire extinguisher. After all it was a small fire after the fumes had burned and surely I would be able to put it out, right? Not so, already the heat was expanding the gasoline in the overfilled tank and was continuing to flow from the tank's top. As the insulation burned from the wires the spark became an arc sounding like frying eggs in a hot pan.
The fire blazed, wires sizzled and the extinguisher hissed as more and more fuel to the fire now sprayed from the tank's top. Then it happened, the little dry chemical extinguisher ran dry. In panic mode I did a even dumber thing than not over fueling the tank or not disconnecting the battery. I jumped onto the cargo box of the now blazing truck which contained a cutting torch, hose and bottles which I dumped over the side to keep them away from the ever increasing inferno and by then the tires were burning.
The nearest telephone was located at Grandmother's house, up the hill and over 900 feet away so up the hill I ran and guess what, she was talking on the phone. Told her my truck was on fire and she hung up and handed it to me. Now no dial tone came thru the receiver and it took several min. to get one. Seemed like forever, here I am in full panic and can't get the fire company on the line. Finally got thru to them, told what was going on and where and about the cutting torch, tanks and bulk gasoline tank they would pass on the way to the burning Dodge, they were not happy but said they would be on the way.
I ran back down the hill and found the fire had not spread to the cab's canvas top and attempted so save that. The fire was still confined to the sides and rear of the bed so I cut the straps and ropes securing the top, flipped it over to the hood and out of the retaining slot above the windshield.
Now the tires began to explode with a dull boom and fire was now around the gas cap as pressure in the tank, pushed fuel from under and around it.
As I watched my landscaping business going up in flames and smoke accompanied by all the sounds a fast burning fire makes, boiling, burning gasoline the crackling of the wooden rake and shovel handles, popping of the tires and moaning of the owner I heard another sound in the distance... fire engine sirens.
It had taken them at least 10 min. to get to the fire and had it under control in another 30 but the damage was done, anything at the rear of the now smoking Dodge that could burn had. Rubber hoses, both brake and fuel fill were gone. Wiring was toast also as were the tires the wood seats and lazy backs. Lights and reflectors were beyond use and when I later removed the wheels and brake drums found the rear wheel cyls. and shoes also would need to be replaced.
After the fire was out one of the firemen offered a cup of water to me and as I stood there trying not to spill it because of my uncontrollable shaking most likely from adrenalin overload he said every fire company in the county had been put on alert because no one knew exactly how large the blaze was with the welding tanks and gasoline storage they wanted to be as ready as possible..
The truck was eventually repaired, repainted and put back into service and a much larger extinguisher was carried along with more insurance and much later the truck was sold but the memory of that day and those sounds will be with me as long as I am alive
The fuel ignited, and the engine lit from the arc jumping into the cap. I had a flamethrower hitting the hood & windshield as the fuel pump pushed gas throught the line. I turned off the engine, grabbed an extiguisher and all ended well. I washed the powder and soot off the engine and drove it later that day.
