Direct Back Fire on Lorry

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 40, 17 February 1937, Page 3

Direct Back Fire on Lorry

Engine Bursts Into Flames SMART SAVE EFFECTED. A rare occurrence on the modern motor vehicle, a direct back-fire, was recorded yesterday when a large sixwheel motor truck containing a load of 90 ewes took fire near Cheltenham when en route to Feildiug while iu charge of Mr Robinson. This occurlence was confined to the engine and very quickly flames appeared trom this quarter in the driver's cab. With every promptitude Mr Robinson smartly unloaded the sheep and then pushed the large crate to the roadside. With the sheep out of the w r ay he proceeded to tackle the lire, which was coming from the carburetter. The petrol supply was cut oil and Air Robinson then uid everything possible to keep the flames from getting a hold on the driver's cab while ho waited for the fixe to exhaust itself. It was not long before the flames died away, but not before considerable damage had been done to the wiring and the llooimg inside the cab. Beyond this damage the vehicle, outwardly, appeared none tho worse for the experience and Mr Robinson is to be congratulated upon his fortunate save. Discussing the Incident later, Mr Robinson said that tho experience had proved useful to him since ho had only recently been debating the new regulations concerning the carriage of sheep by motor truck and what ho had gone through substantiated his arguments against some of the ideas to be embodied in the new regulations. He mentioned tne intention to require all crates for the carriage of sheep to be divided into as many as sixteen pens and suggested that sheep would have very little chance of escape in the event of a really serious outbreak of fire on a lorry. “Imagine," he said, “a driver endeavouring to open as many as sixteen gates to get his sheep off with the lorry on fire. Ho would have no chance.'-' Another point mentioned by Mr Robinson, who has had considerable experience in motor transport and particularly with the organisation of sucli transport for the carnage of sheep, was that the crates Should not be secured to the lorry. In the event of fire emergency, when tho situation would not permit of unloading the sheep, it was possible to drag tho crate clear without injuring the sheep, but 'f the crate was roped down or bolted to the lorry this would not bo possible. The crate on the lorry involved in yesterday's accident was fitted closely to the

combings of the floor of tho truck and its weight, plus that of the sheep, gave it its stability. A properly fitted crate did not require to be roped down or bolted. While congratulating himself on his fortunate escape, Mr Robinson was, nevertheless, glad to have had the experience of the adventure of a fire when carrying sheep, for it demonstrated views he had held regarding requirements for security in such transport ■work. The damaged lorry was brought to Feilding for repairs.