Tanker Ignites On Scene

[Guest Dispatcher418]

"This fire was coming from a West Carter County Volunteer Fire Department truck, a 1988 Ford 2,500-gallon tanker that was on standby in a private driveway. It was providing water for the brush trucks aat another fire.

The driver of the truck had been standing in the road, directing traffic when he said he noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. As he reached the door the flames poured out of the dashboard.

West Carter County Fire Chief Conley Jones said the fire had obviously started in the wiring under the dash. The truck had been running and its emergency lights were on at the time the fire broke out.

A FF rushed to the scene but he had already expended his fire extinguisher. An Elizabethton Fire Department fire truck quickly raced up the hill and volunteer firefighter Jason Fritz jumped out, pulled out the hose and quickly doused the flames. The exhausted firefighter then fell on his knees and requested his fellow firefighters spray him with the hose to cool him down."- firefighterclosecalls.com

would the outcome have been any different if the driver was at the pump pannel like he should have been?

im glad nobody was hurt. im upset about the truck, but it's a ford, and it was old. time for a new one.

[RWC130 594]

No Fire Extinguishers? lol

Sucks about the fire, glad everyone is OK.

[Guest]

exactly 418, it was a ford so what do you expect. a little ironic i guess. i he the dept is able to replace the rig in a timely fashion and get another rig in service.

[wmurpht 1]

would the outcome have been any different if the driver was at the pump pannel like he should have been?

←

short staffing leads to alot of drivers covering other duties at scenes. i don't think this is a unique situation. "like he should've been" is easy to say, not as easy to do.

[Guest]

Glad the guy is alright. If the damage is to the chasis, they can just re-chasis the tank and pumps portion.

[grumpyff 1,159]

From the article provided with the photo, the tanker was standing by, not actively pumping, if the tanker even has a pump. Being next to the rig might have lead to its discovery a bit sooner...maybe the driver would have smelled something and investigated, but I do not think it would have made that much a difference.. the fire would still have occurred.

[helicopper 1,050]

Another good reason to turn all the lights and other accessories off when you're sitting in a driveway or other location where the emergency warning devices aren't needed...

[Reliance 29]

Another good reason to turn all the lights and other accessories off when you're sitting in a driveway or other location where the emergency warning devices aren't needed...

←

I don't know why everyone picks on Ford. No worse than GMC - Garage Mans Curse.

I am glad everyone was okay

[Future Fireman 4]

I don't know why everyone picks on Ford.  No worse than GMC - Garage Mans Curse.

I am glad everyone was okay

←

It doesn't matter what company made it.....unless it's a MACK! Macks should last longer than everything else out there.

I cannot stress this enough: No matter what company makes the rig, (except for Mack) you ALWAYS will have problems with 20,30,40, maybe 50 year old rigs!

Mike