Vehicular Fire in Hayfield

The photograph below shows what can happen when a vehicle is driven through a hayfield.  Although the owner of the truck didn’t believe it could happen to him, he is now a firm believer.  The fire grew so quickly that the driver was lucky to get out of the truck as the flames were growing alongside the driver’s side door.  The fire occurred even though the ground was saturated after recent rain made the ground so soft that the truck got stuck in the mud.  While trying to extricate himself, the engine was heating the grass beneath the engine compartment.  Since the grass was already dry, it didn’t take long to ignite.  The only thing that kept the fire from spreading to the rest of the hayfield was the quick response of the fire department.  The heat that ignited the fire could also have come form the transmission and exhaust piping, including the catalytic converter.  If you have to drive through a field with tall, dry grass, don’t stop until you can get off the grass.  Be aware that stopping your vehicle over dry grass and allowing the engine to continue running can be just as bad as shutting down the engine while positioned over a tall patch of dry grass.  If you get stuck, get out of your vehicle, get away and then get help.      

Vehicular Fire in Hayfield