> Actually I sent that question the day after the fire to just fill me head with
> possibilities for the reason it burst into flames.
> 
> Robert
> NYC
> --------------
> 
> 
> I don't think VW is at fault here.  As bad as I feel for robertmstewart,
> just Wednesday he was asking about Vanagon fires.  He must of suspected a
> gas leak and  was worried about it.  Unfortunately, he didn't have time to
> get it fixed before the disaster.   The fuel line kit is only $68 from
> Van-Again and is of excellent quality.
> 
> 
>             Jay
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Andrew Fox <afox@CNR.COLOSTATE.EDU>@gerry.vanagon.com> on 12/18/2003
> 12:52:35 PM
> 
> Please respond to Andrew Fox <afox@CNR.COLOSTATE.EDU>
> 
> Sent by:    Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
> 
> 
> To:    vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> cc:
> Subject:    Re: Yesterday's Engine Fire in Rockefeller Center NYC
> 
> 
> Horrible story.  I must say I dont think it is your fault that your van
> caught on fire.  I mean the vehicle is only 13 years old, 13 YO vehicles
> should not burn up in flames like that.  VW is obviously to blame, our
> vans should have been recalled for bad fuel lines, faulty HG design,
> failing oil cooler seals, amoung many others.  VW is a really horrible
> company that does not care about its customers.  Their products are made
> to be "cool" and "fun" but beyond that they are crap.  This story just
> illustrates that reality.
> 
> 
> On Wed, 17 Dec 2003, robertmstewart wrote:
> 
>> > 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
>> > �time loves a hero� 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 it�s 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 �dark black smoke� 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 6� 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 can�t believe it!... I try again but it�s 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 10� away and hit the van�s 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 it�s out! I ask if any of the 5 Police
>> > officer�s 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 van�s
> 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. It�s a major
>> > Japanese news network and they interview me about what happened and video
>> > tape the van�s 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
>> > it�s 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 avenue�s 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 it�s 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
> can�t
>> > take it it�s to badly damaged. So today a day later, I finally found
> someone
>> > to take it, the operator says to me... �Yeah I know this van, I have
> picked
>> > up 3 of them this year... You have bad fuel line that leaked right?� I
>> > say... �I think so but I don�t know.�. He then tells me that it�s little
>> > known fact that the fuel lines go on these vans and most early VW�s. I
> take
>> > some photo�s 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 she�s 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 photo�s of the van and the toasted carat)
>> >
>> > So that�s 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 that�s 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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