I just heard about a terrible accident in NJ in which an 18 wheeler ran a 2004 Audi (not sure which model but I think it was an A6) off the road and into the guard rail. Witnesses said the Audi burst into flames immediately. Both the driver and passenger died. The car was competely charred.

What would cause a car to burst into flames? I know this sounds like a stupid question but I am wondering about the varuous ways this can happen.

 

How about a fuel delivery rupture and a metal to metal spark?

 

the fuel tank is in the back, so unless they went in backwards, how could it "burst"

plus i think the T.U.V. requirements are tougher than the US ones

 

sounds kinda wierd /

 

BOOM !!

It is impossible to allow for all contingencies which life may meter out to us. Only safe option is to stay at home.. oh.. I forgot.. more accidents happen at home than anywhere else!

 

how? it's not a 911. It prolly didn't hit a$$ 1st

 

Police identify v ictims of Rt. 24 truck-auto collision

Saturday, March 12, 2005
BY KATIE ****
Star-Ledger Staff

Millburn police yesterday identified the two victims killed in Thursday's Route 24 car crash as Lynn Koch, 49, and her daughter Elizabeth, 18, both of Tenafly.

The two were traveling westbound on Route 24 on Thursday afternoon when their Audi collided with a tractor-trailer also heading west in Millburn. Authorities yesterday continued to investigate the accident and have not filed any charges.

The truck driver, Daniel Bacon, 43, of Quebec was not injured. Bacon told police that the Audi swerved into his lane, cutting him off and causing the collision.

Police said another witness gave a conflicting account, saying the truck crashed into the car, which was in the left lane.

Jeano Porter, 40, of Newark said he witnessed the accident and called police to give a statement corroborating the other witness's account. Porter said he was in the eastbound lanes of Route 24 when he saw the truck swerve into the path of the Audi.

The car was dragged by the truck and then crashed into a bridge abutment, said Porter. The crash set the car on fire.

Porter said he made a U-turn and ran toward the car with a cooler of water that was in his trunk.


When he reached the car, he said the driver was still alive and pleading for help.

"She said, 'Please help me, please help me. I can't feel my legs,'" Porter said.

Porter said the passenger was not moving. He said he tried to get the two out, but the door would not open and he was thwarted by the flames.

He said the car then exploded.

The two women were declared dead at the scene.

Police Capt. David Barber said authorities were still trying to determine who was in the driver's seat.

Dan Simpson, an attorney for the Koch family, said yesterday that the family did not want to comment on the accident.

 

...it was prolly and underhood fire that ignited a second, high-volume leak (hence, the samaritan being thwarted by flames then reporting an explosion).

 

I bet the guy who came to rescue them and could not do anything is going to struggle all his life with that...

The story from the witness seems the most probable. I nearly got squized by a trealer once and I was not in his blind spot.... I flashed my light and the guy went back to his lane. His signal was not on. I always pass them very fast now. And I have no problem going way over the speed limit to pass them. Better get a ticket than getting into any accident with a truck. Also I will never stay in the left of any truck in a right turn. If the truck is going too fast and overturn you are toast...and I do not stay in front of them either....

Back in France my Father got his car transformed into a pickup truck. He was at a light and there were cars in front and on both sides. He was boxed. The truck could not stop properly. But he got lucky.

Some friends of mine were in an accident about a year ago in CT. It was at night. They had stopped for coffee off the highway and were going back to the highway at about 20mph. A trealer did not stop at a stop sign and ran into them. The car was totalled and not recognizable. They were very lucky that night. They could have both died. They sustained back injuries and some other injuries and are still on some pain medication to this day. The truck driver gave the police a fake insurance ID, and later on when their insurance went after the guy's insurance they found the guy had no insurance....

 

no motion sensor etc. to signal a fuel shut off, but lots of opportunity to compromise the fuel tank, or fuel rail/ connections, etc., under the hood...