Been thinking about fire safety? Read this

[NOT A TA]

Article by Charles Espenlaub about his experience in a fire on track. that appeared in a recent issue of Grassroots Motorsports magazine, now posted online for everyones benefit. Well written and will make you think about safety equipment that could save your life.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/fighting-fire/

[David Pozzi]

Thanks for posting this!
It only takes one look at his helmet and fire suit to see how easy it would have been to be very badly burned.

A tip to all: Aluminum melts very quickly, you can't depend on an aluminum panel to resist fire for more than a few seconds. Give me steel any day, - even very thin steel.

[LeighP]

Very true....some years back, while I was in the airforce, one of my friends took off in a twin piston powered transport. They had a pressurised oil fed fire in one engine shortly after take off.....they shut it down, extinguished the fire, turn around and landed...all in aproximately 6 minutes.

They estimate the fire actually burned for no more than 2-3 minutes total. In that time, the flame had cut through an auxiliary firewall, the main firewall, had burnt out the interior of the engine nacelle, had set fire to both main gear tyres in that nacelle.
Flame, especially when you're feeding it with a good blast of fresh air is extremely good at burning through things....especially aluminium.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Interesting timing. I am building the rear firewall and closeout in Unfair this weekend in fact and decided to weld in steel.

[Greg from Aus]

Thank you for posting this, a great insight into what can and does happen, safety is something most people don't take to seriously, how often do you see people looking for a cheap helmet, they must have really cheap head to protect.

Greg

[Roadbuster]

Article by Charles Espenlaub about his experience in a fire on track. that appeared in a recent issue of Grassroots Motorsports magazine, now posted online for everyones benefit. Well written and will make you think about safety equipment that could save your life.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/fighting-fire/

That article and your advice is why I put a fire system in my car.

Hope I never have to use it.