Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 00:50:48 -0700
Reply-To: Gnarlodious <gnarlodious@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Gnarlodious <gnarlodious@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Yesterday's Engine Fire in Rockefeller Center NYC
In-Reply-To: <BC06998A.3AAF%robertmstewart@mac.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
Dear toasted:
What a positively horrible and embarrassing incident.
But what a way to go, it midtown Manhattan under the cameras of the
international media. No wonder the cops thought you were a terrorist.
Heavy duty condolences.
--Gnarlie
Entity robertmstewart spoke thus:
> So yesterday 12.16.03 at 5:30pm I pick up my 89 Carat Vanagon with 150,000
> miles on it from the garage in NYC. Like always it starts right up and
> drives great, 10 minutes later while listening to my new Little Feat CD
> ³time loves a hero² we pull past the Rockefeller center area where the big
> Christmas tree is and thousands of tourist visiting the tree and the city.
>
> I then hear a voice and turn around itıs a Police officer screaming at my
> girlfriend and I that there is smoke coming from the engine!
>
> I scream out at her to turn the engine off and jump out of the van, in
> seconds grabbing the fire extinguisher behind the drivers seat.
>
> I run to the back of the van to see ³dark black smoke² billowing out of rear
> drivers side of the van near the oil filter, I crawl down on the cement
> floor of the street and see 6² round sheets of flaming liquid, gas or oil is
> dripping from the center front of the engine, closer to bumper area.
>
> I then aim the extinguisher at the fire area and hit it, the extinguisher is
> out in 8 seconds! I canıt believe it!... I try again but itıs dead! I just
> purchased the unit in July so it was new and had a full charge. I was blown
> away that this automotive extinguisher would last such a short time.
>
> So I see this Police officer stand 10ı away and hit the vanıs outer body! I
> am thinking to myself why is he doing this? I scream out at him to hand it
> to me, but he then says that itıs out! I ask if any of the 5 Police
> officerıs have any other extinguishers, he says no.... I am absolutely in
> shock at this point. The middle of Rockefeller center with no fire
> extinguishers! What would they do if there was small local fire I am
> thinking!?
>
> So I am told by the police to Get back!, Get Back! As I am in complete
> amazement and shock as I slowly watch the small flame become bigger and
> grow, my blanket and sleeping bag in the back in the rear of van sitting on
> top of the foam engine pad all start to catch, the entire fire is on the
> drivers side rear of the van where the oil filter is. It grows up the side
> of the van, than melts the interior and exterior vent, and then the ac unit
> melts off, and drops down, but that catches the rest of the vanıs interior
> and it just goes, and goes till there is nothing left... Every piece of
> foam, seating material, the steering wheel, even part of the dash and most
> of body panels are melted off.
>
> The Fire Department finally arrives and puts out the fire with their hoses,
> axes out all of the windows and it just sits in a smoldering smoking dark
> water bath scented by burnt toxic plastic.
>
> I am interviewed by 2 detectives, they take take my address, and name, ask
> to see my license and ask if there is anything explosive in the van? I tell
> them just a can engine degreaser that I could hear popped but was no big
> boom. Then I talk to someone from Rockefeller Center Security, and then 2
> other Police officers, then all of a sudden I see a video camera in front of
> me and two people with press passes hanging on their neck. Itıs a major
> Japanese news network and they interview me about what happened and video
> tape the vanıs burning and water dousing. Finally I speak to the Fire
> department and I am able to fish out of the rubble my original Vanagon
> silver pouch with my registration and insurance info to give to Fire
> Department captain.
>
> The Police tell me they are towing the van several blocks away, from their
> itıs my responsibility to get it taken away to salvage yard. So my
> girlfriend and I walk following the van as it is slowly dragged while in
> park, down 5th Ave past Saks fifth avenueıs famous Christmas window. I am
> walking in the street following the van and then loose it. I go home and my
> girlfriend calls the police to find itıs location several times, we
> eventually find it, and I start calling salvage companies to pickup the
> vehicle to take to junk yard. I finally get one of them to come and pick up
> the van for $75 dollars. I go and meet the truck and they tell me they canıt
> take it itıs to badly damaged. So today a day later, I finally found someone
> to take it, the operator says to me... ³Yeah I know this van, I have picked
> up 3 of them this year... You have bad fuel line that leaked right?² I
> say... ³I think so but I donıt know.². He then tells me that itıs little
> known fact that the fuel lines go on these vans and most early VWıs. I take
> some photoıs of the toasted vehicle and say goodbye to my beloved 89 Carat
> that for the 6 months that I owned her brought me so much driving joy and
> happiness, camping in it and making wonderful country summer journeys, I
> then decide not to watch him pull off but to walk away and not look back. I
> know sheıs gone and my VW dream is gone.
>
> I had spent 5 years looking for that Blue Carat van, and had it shipped from
> Florida to NY.
>
> http://www.homepage.mac.com/rmstewart
>
> (see photoıs of the van and the toasted carat)
>
> So thatıs my long winded story, sorry if it bored you, maybe it even
> entertained you. I learned some lessons, but now my girlfriend tells me she
> does not want me to buy another one cause of the fire so I will look for
> something else, not sure what. Maybe one day I will get another and next
> time put on steel braided fuel lines (if thatıs possible).
>
> Thank you to everyone on the list for your years of advice, and wealth of
> knowledge. Eventually when I have some time I plan on signing off the list
> but until then thanks again for everything.
>
> Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all.
>
> Robert
> 89 Carat Toasted
> NYC
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