FIRE in the Garage SERIOUS/FATAL INJURY

Even better.... just pick up a quart of either Rustoleum or Krylon bright red paint and paint an oversized rectangle around the extinguisher. I'd even carry the design up onto the ceiling so that you can see where it is even if you are on your back.

If you feel the need to make it reflective, you can find a clear glass bottle and crush the glass into minute particles and mix it into the paint. The glass will reflect light nicely. The guy who paints the curb numbers around here uses just broken glass for the reflection and it works wonderfully.

 

I wish all the best for your friend and his family. You know this brought up two different situations to mind that could of been a lot worse if someone had not kept a cool head. Once with a teacher in a small engines\ welding class in high school. Carb soaking in gas welding five or six feet away sparks + gas= Flame teacher panics kicks over can of gas, and spreads fire across the floor. Luckily a fellow classmate calmly grabbed the fire bottle just a few feet away and put out the fire. The second time I was getting gas at a local station when a 70 camaro pulls to the pumps, the guy jumps out and runs in the bathroom just then fire starts creeping out under the hood. The gas station employee proceeds to panic and runs towards the back of the store and I have to go behind the counter and grab the bottle to put out the flames. I think the things taught in school these days should be a little less about useless crap and more about every day common sense and the world may just be a little better place. I am in no way saying that this is what happened to your friend as I do not know the story. Just reminding people that sometimes a little thought goes a long ways.

 

Oh and when removing the starter on your 70 camaro maybe turn the dokken down and put the pipe away so you remember to take the wrench off of the nuts holding the cables on. apparently its a difficult task for some.

 

..."Burnin' like a flame"? Sorry, couldn't resist

 

Yep,been burnt when a pressuried radiator exploded because of a blown headgasket. The pain is beyond belief and then once the grafts and surgery are getting finished months later the Morphine addiction needs to be overcome.
In the burns unit you see every one from children burnt because they pulled a boiling pan from the stove to the morons who poured gas on a BBQ to light it.
Insurance coverage is the least of your worries when you get burnt. Surviving becomes the main issue.

 

Got fire extinguishers by both garage doors, and the entry door to the house. Also, another powder extinguisher on the workbench, and a halon extinguisher near my tool shelves. When grinding or welding, I look around beforehand to make sure nothing overly flammable is nearby. When done, I check around for a minute or two afterward, and usually don't close up the garage for a while, so I have a chance to catch anytying that could be smoldering.
When grinding, I try to do it at the front of the garage, ith the sparks mostly going outside. Didn't always to this. Was at my bench grinder, hitting a part (can't even remember what now), and suddenly felt hot. Looked down, and the front of my overshirt was on fire. I ripped that thing off insanely fast and stomped it out. I should have done the stop-drop-roll, but at the time, my garage was insanely heavily packed, and there was no room. So, one more piece of advice - If you've been working under a grungy car, and have grease/oil all over your clothes - change them before grinding...

 

Clothing.Now there is another subject to cover for fire prevention.
When I am welding/grinding or torch work I slip on a welding apron if it's
a short time job.If it's longer on go the welders arm covers and long gloves,
hat and goggles.Never ever wear a poly-anything shirt...those ythings will burn from a stray match.I'm sure others here have rules on shopwear also.

 

wow

 

Isn't it amazing? I have a grandson in High School that I had to show how to work a fire extinguisher. Not that it's the school's job, but it wouldn't hurt if they stuck their thumb-sucking noses into a parent's business a little more, where it might count, and less time telling them how important their self-esteem is.

 

Hoping all the best for Mr. X.

We can't have enough threads on safety. I preach it all day long at work and I also practice it as much as I can think of. I tend to do a lot of work alone, so I make even more sure I can walk out of my garage when I am done for the day. All great tips, too.

Johnny

 

..
Just to finalize this.

Buck Shaver passed on the last week of June. He was a good friend to scores of people here in Colorado. An avid old car buff, leader of his club, and ambassador of our hobby. He was a true gentleman, loved by all that knew him.

"It's not a car club, it's a social adventure".

He endured indescribable agony until they got him to the hospital where he was put into a medically induced coma. Of course we don't really know, but I sincerely hope he didn't suffer any more. He left a strong family, who will celebrate his life.

Godspeed, Buck.
.

 

I'm sorry for your loss.

Kurt

 

My sincere regrets to you you and your friend's family.

 

Really very sorry to hear that. It's a reminder of how this lifestyle we share can just reach out and rip your ass off anytime it chooses. Be careful out there, brothers.

 

I am so sorry to hear about your loss of a friend. My prayers to his family.

 

Big bummer!

 

Wish your buddy & his the family the very best.Tell your freind that this opened the eyes of all of us & were thankful in a sad way.

 

Bear in mind grinding, etc. outdoors can also be dangerous, keep a hose or water handy, particularly if there's a drought where you live and the grass and so on is really dry.

I've accidentally set the insides of old car seats on fire a few times. That stuff just like smolders and smokes, it's hard to get it out without soaking it.

 

I sure am sorry to see the conclusion to this thread. All the way down I was hoping for the best.

When I was in H.S. I had a friend that was burned badly on the face, hands and arms by a backfire on a tractor while he was helping his dad prime it with a pint of gas - pouring into the carb. Terrible.

A question for you more knowledgabble guys about fire extinguishers.

I dont do any welding but ocassionally do some grinding. Not having a garage all my work is done outside.
I have a 20lb CO2 bottle (inspected and freshly charged just this year) in my trunk. When Im doing anything I have it out just in case. And at cruises I always leave the trunk open.

Should I also have an ABC bottle? Or Halogen? How large? and shoyuld this one be in the engine compartment?

What say you guys?

 

Thoughts and prayers to your friend and his family.

 

sorry for you lose .... prayers and best wishes for all

 

sorry for you loss .... prayers and best wishes for all

 

Oh Man! What a sad ending. I also had a friend who was seriously burned when he was undoing a propane connection on his pick up. The propane went across the floor and made contact with the pilot light on a hot water heater. He lived for a while but eventually passed.

 

My prayers go out to his family...very sorry for your loss.

I had a friend pour a little "primer" gas down the throat of a carb then proceed to stand OVER the carb while another buddy in the drivers seat turned the key and pumped the gas. Fired RIGHT up, backfired and caught the fumes on his sleeve and hand on fire...he panicked, yanked his hand away, spilled the gas all over the engine bay and front of the car...poof, up in flames. You wouldn't think something that is such an "ever day" event could turn so bad so fast, but his recoil reflex was out of his control. After all was said and done, 3rd degree burns up his right arm and down his right leg, front end paintjob a total loss, engine bay wiring harness, clamps, hoses and aluminum a loss and MANY shop rags and some tools melted and burned. Could have been MUCH worse. Had he simply put the container DOWN after priming, at the very worst he would have had singed eyebrows.

 

My condolences.

 

May your friend rest in peace.

 

Sorry for your loss. His family is in our thoughts and prayers.

 

So sorry for your loss. I, too was hoping to hear that he survived.
About 10 years ago, my son, who was 19 at the time, was sitting in my rear-engine dragster as I primed it by squirting gas into the bug catcher with a mustard-bottle. It was a blown Alky motor and it was cool weather, so it wasn't wanting to fire off and I gave it one extra shot just as it belched. When I pulled my hand away, the fuel was still being forced out under pressure and it was on fire. As a "knee-jerk" reaction to the backfire, I managed to shoot flaming fuel directly over my boys head! How it didn't burn him up was nothing short of a miracle from the Lord. I still tremble when I think of how close that was.

 

I'm a firefighter. Fire extinguishers are like tits. Bigger is better. Inspect them often. Learn how to make them work.

 

Our prayers for Mr. Shaver and his family and friends.
We enjoy our friends while we have them with us and remember them with a smile when they are gone and can only hope and act in such a way that our friends will remember us in a like manner.