Our worst nightmare

[CarFreak]

* Not mine, but just a reminder of how careful we all need to be when working with and around our cars. 

Antique cars, garage destroyed in Richmond fire

Author: Lake & McHenry County Scanner Staff

Photos courtesy Richmond (IL) Fire Dept.

 

Four vehicles, including three antique cars, and a garage were destroyed in a fire Saturday morning in Richmond.

The Richmond Fire Department and other departments were dispatched at 8:59 a.m. on Saturday to 10009 Main Street in Richmond for a report of a structure fire. When fire crews arrived they found a fully involved detached garage on fire behind a house.

 

It took crews 40 minutes to get the fire under control. No one was injured in the fire, which caused more than $200,000 in damage. Fire investigators haven’t released what the cause of the fire was but they believe it started at the rear of the garage and spread from there.

 

Fire officials said that two fully restored Model T or Model A antique cars, another antique car and a new family car were destroyed in the blaze.

The incident is under investigation by the Richmond Fire Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

 

Firefighters from Wonder Lake, Spring Grove, Hebron-Alden-Greenwood, McHenry, and Twin Lakes, Wisconsin were called to assist Richmond firefighters at the scene.

[brasscarguy]

You have my deepest sympathy. In 1959 my family had a fire and we lost 12 antique cars. Only 1 was saved that being a 1930 model a phaeton. The cars lost were from 1914 thru 1947. It still haunts me to this day. Sadly our fire was caused by kids playing with matches.

 

sorry for your loss

 

brasscarguy

[John_S_in_Penna]

Thankfully, this can be a learning experience.

When building storage for antique cars, consider

one or more of the following:

 

(1)  Use non-combustible materials, such as concrete block

for the walls and metal trusses or open-web steel joists for the roof;

(2)  Installing a commercial-quality sprinkler system.

Residential sprinklers, in contrast, are NOT designed to put

the fire out, but only to give the occupants a little more time to escape.

(3)  For large collections, not keeping all your cars in one building.

Spread them between 2 or more buildings.

 

Most people will never have this experience, thankfully;

and I hope no one here ever does. 

Edited January 14, 2018 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Larry Schramm]

Storing them in 40 ft shipping containers where only 2 will fit spreads out the risk.

[AC Fuhrman]

Sounds like no one was hurt - but still terrible news.

 

[Paul Dobbin]

Terrible.  As my insurance customers always told me,  "Not me, it will be somebody else." and I would reply, 

"To me, you are somebody else".  Take lots of pictures, regularly.  Fire extinguishers are cheap, get several.

Keep the kids out too.  

[JWLawrence]

I always disconnect the batteries when my vintage vehicles are in the house garage or storage unit. JWL

[plymouthcranbrook]

i went through Richmond today.  Had no clue about this. Sad news.

[CarFreak]

On 1/10/2018 at 12:14 AM, brasscarguy said:

You have my deepest sympathy. In 1959 my family had a fire and we lost 12 antique cars. Only 1 was saved that being a 1930 model a phaeton. The cars lost were from 1914 thru 1947. It still haunts me to this day. Sadly our fire was caused by kids playing with matches.

 

sorry for your loss

 

brasscarguy

 

That's not my garage - just was sharing that most all of our greatest fears is fire.  Whether from the wildfires out west or from another source - heater malfunction, short in an electrical system, flash fire from a fuel tank being removed & a trouble light (saw something about this last night on F/B). 

 

A reminder for everyone to be safe, extra cautious and remain vigilant, don't rush because the repercussions can be heartbreaking if not dangerous. 

 

And if you haven't done so already, check your fire extinguishers!!!  Do you have enough?  Are they readily available?  Are they part of the Kidde Recall? 

[plymouthcranbrook]

12 hours ago, CarFreak said:

 

That's not my garage - just was sharing that most all of our greatest fears is fire.  Whether from the wildfires out west or from another source - heater malfunction, short in an electrical system, flash fire from a fuel tank being removed & a trouble light (saw something about this last night on F/B). 

 

A reminder for everyone to be safe, extra cautious and remain vigilant, don't rush because the repercussions can be heartbreaking if not dangerous. 

 

And if you haven't done so already, check your fire extinguishers!!!  Do you have enough?  Are they readily available?  Are they part of the Kidde Recall? 

My neighbor did just that about 10 years ago. Taking off a tank and dropped the trouble light.The garage and two vehicles were total losses.

[pmhowe]

Most of us have cars that are not driven frequently in the winter. Mine are off the road once snow (and salt on roads) arrives. I worry most about rodents finding the wiring and starting a short. I think the best thing to do is to disconnect the battery. Second best (but almost as good) is install a cutoff switch.Third is mothballs or other repellent.  I've read rodents love salt, and the salt from a car owner's perspiration is enough to attract. I've attached a picture that I took of a rodent who liked the wiring in my house (prior to when I bought it). He could have burned the house down. However, must have been an exciting moment for him!

 

 

[Dave Mellor NJ]

There was a feature story today in The Camden Courier-Post about a house fire in Williamstown, NJ. The house and contents were a total loss but the whole family and pets got out safely. The owner had a restored 69 Chevelle  in the garage that was undamaged.

So nice to hear a story like that instead of the usual tragedies that have been happening so frequently