What a day!

Garyexpat

Bronze
Sep 7, 2012
2,105
739
113
Saturday Oct 29th started out like it was going to be a very good day. Closed some business for a new client out of the states, got help upgrading the computer for the person working with this client and set to add another person working for the client starting Monday.
Time to get something to eat.
Driving around with a friend looking for a place to eat when my truck dies out. I call my trusty mechanic who shows up 45 minutes later, changes the battery and after discussion regarding the problem says he will switch out the alternator on Monday.
Starving now my friend and I head to my place to leave the truck in the garage below my apartment and get some BBQ and Bohemias across the street. My friend, facing towards my apartment, tells me that there is smoke coming out of my garage. I knew it was my truck. Running down down into the garage I see some smoke and some flames under the truck on the ground. I run up to the apartment, grabbing a box of baking soda and a few bottles of water. Upon my return to the garage I find a raging fire with smoke billowing from the truck being sucked out the garage entrance by the draft. I did attempt to throw the baking soda on the flames but it and the bottles of water did very little. Two guys (one the BBQ grill man whom I know very well) are trying to help me with 2 fire extinguishers that appeared from nowhere plus one I retrieved from under the back seat.
All this time my buddy is frantically knocking on doors trying to get more help with his almost non existent Spanish. (How do you say fire extinguisher in Spanish???)
Finally the fire Dept. arrives (2 trucks). They run a hose down and put out the fire.
As anyone who has been close to this type of fire can attest the smoke/fumes are noxious. The whole neighborhood was out for the festivities with many expressing their sorrows over what occurred.
I live in a neighborhood in Santiago where everyone knows each other and looks out (at least to some extent) for each other. It was encouraging to see how many tried to help. The Bomberos were professional and polite.
I really wish Seguro Universal would have allowed me to purchase full coverage like I wanted.......

Anyone in need of an oversized ash tray?
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
3,271
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Ohhh man that su$ks.... Once a car lites up it amazing how fast they go... Sounds like you had wiring fire... Damm dumb luck..
 
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lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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Atleast you live in helpful community...expats community would of hmmed and hawed then blamed a Haitian
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i saw a result of car fire once, faulty gas installation. the pickup burnt to a nice metal crisp. there were presidente bottles in the back, they melted flat. pretty neat, gotta say.

sorry it happened to you, man.
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
9,513
2,783
113
A neighbors car went right up in her Driveway.. Happened so fast there was no way to stop it.. Fire Extinguisher would have done nothing.. You are lucky you got it taken care of before it took the garage and Apartment down.
Smoke damage is bad stuff though.It gets into everything.
 

Hector L

New member
Jun 11, 2010
155
0
0
Now they might have blamed someone from Venezuela. They seem to be replacing the Haitians as the scapegoat for the problems of the country.
 
Sep 4, 2012
5,931
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48
Gary,

That's really painful to read nevertheless to go through as the owner of the vehicle. Best wishes going forward to you.

PS: Patiently waiting to see when and how the DR is to be blamed for this, its coming..........:cool:
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Now they might have blamed someone from Venezuela. They seem to be replacing the Haitians as the scapegoat for the problems of the country.

yeah...the problem is that the country is filling up with Venezuelan chicas , who are competing head to head with Dominicans ...
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Saturday Oct 29th started out like it was going to be a very good day. Closed some business for a new client out of the states, got help upgrading the computer for the person working with this client and set to add another person working for the client starting Monday.
Time to get something to eat.
Driving around with a friend looking for a place to eat when my truck dies out. I call my trusty mechanic who shows up 45 minutes later, changes the battery and after discussion regarding the problem says he will switch out the alternator on Monday.
Starving now my friend and I head to my place to leave the truck in the garage below my apartment and get some BBQ and Bohemias across the street. My friend, facing towards my apartment, tells me that there is smoke coming out of my garage. I knew it was my truck. Running down down into the garage I see some smoke and some flames under the truck on the ground. I run up to the apartment, grabbing a box of baking soda and a few bottles of water. Upon my return to the garage I find a raging fire with smoke billowing from the truck being sucked out the garage entrance by the draft. I did attempt to throw the baking soda on the flames but it and the bottles of water did very little. Two guys (one the BBQ grill man whom I know very well) are trying to help me with 2 fire extinguishers that appeared from nowhere plus one I retrieved from under the back seat.
All this time my buddy is frantically knocking on doors trying to get more help with his almost non existent Spanish. (How do you say fire extinguisher in Spanish???)
Finally the fire Dept. arrives (2 trucks). They run a hose down and put out the fire.
As anyone who has been close to this type of fire can attest the smoke/fumes are noxious. The whole neighborhood was out for the festivities with many expressing their sorrows over what occurred.
I live in a neighborhood in Santiago where everyone knows each other and looks out (at least to some extent) for each other. It was encouraging to see how many tried to help. The Bomberos were professional and polite.
I really wish Seguro Universal would have allowed me to purchase full coverage like I wanted.......

Anyone in need of an oversized ash tray?

sorry to hear this. nobody needs this kind of ill luck..
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
3,271
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My coworkers wife hasnt been too work 6 months ptsd from witnessing a accident and fire in car family couldnt get out doors to mangled as soon as they tried to break window open and succeeded it made things worse engulfed interior of car instantly.. No one got out.. Im*
Really surprised in this day and age more fire proof materials arent used...all plastics and foam :(*
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,480
732
113
Really bad luck. *It's going to make a dent in your wallet. Just be thankful no one was hurt.

In a few years time you will look back and put it down to one of life's experiences. *Very different if there was a casualty, those scars last a lifetime.
 

Garyexpat

Bronze
Sep 7, 2012
2,105
739
113
I appreciate all the sentiments. I haven't gone down to look at it today. The mechanic comes tomorrow. All the flames were confined to the engine area. I had a lot of experience in the states dealing with and evaluating damage to vehicles from accidents but not fires so I have no idea what costs would be involved in attempting to repair it or if it makes any sense at all to do so.
Yes, I am thankful I was not in the car with my girlfriend and her boy or anyone else.
Took a concho to church and back today. Not the first time, (but hopefully the last).
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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It would be hard for a north American mechanic to get it to par let alone a DR one, depends on age my friend you could be in never ending repair mode....
 
Sep 4, 2012
5,931
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48
It would be hard for a north American mechanic to get it to par let alone a DR one, depends on age my friend you could be in never ending repair mode....
Can't be compared.

Shade tree mechanics in DR would make anything work somehow, safety mind you, may not be paramount but they would give it a stab.

In the states, not much of a possibility. Thus likely would be considered a total and a job for the insurance company instead.
 

yacht chef

Bronze
Sep 13, 2009
1,588
17
38
Hell I just had the same thing a week ago it started from a power stearing leak. I am so bummed out .*