‘Everyone should carry a fire extinguisher’ says mechanic at vehicle fire
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
A vehicle fire on North Main Street was quickly knocked down by Ashland Fire & Rescue Wednesday but not before attracting some curious onlookers.
Simon Cutler said he had an appointment on North Main when he noticed a column of smoke billowing out from a vehicle just on the other side of a fence in the Big Al’s parking lot.
As he stepped closer to examine the smoke, Ashland Fire & Rescue arrived on scene with multiple units. As the smoke turned white and took on an acrid effect, Cutler said that was plastic burning.
“Any vehicle can catch fire under the right circumstance,” he said. (Many extinguishers carry ABC ratings, which is the most desirable for a car, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, which also cautions “it is dangerous business to attempt to put out a car fire.”
In 15 years as a mechanic, Cutler said he has seen a few vehicle fires, largely in cars made before the 1990s or in the last decade. He laughed as he said “thank God it’s not a Tesla,” explaining that those vehicles have a reputation for having lithium ion batteries burn so hot it can break water down into its chemical components.
The grey truck on the other side of the fence was handled by AF&R in under an hour with a call for service reported by the Pulsepoint app at 12:44 p.m. Wednesday and reported as closed at 1:29 p.m.
Stepping away from looking under the blackened hood with a handheld thermal camera, AF&R Battalion Chief Lance Menold said the driver pulled over as he realized the truck was catching fire.
“He was on his way to get a possible fuel leak repaired,” Menold said. “He didn’t quite make it,”
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news.
