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1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

fire · 612570 · 2007-02-08

Vehicle

Make
PONTIAC
Model
GRAND PRIX
Year
1999
Manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Miles at failure
160,159

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

I HAVE A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP SUPER CHARGED V6 THAT CAUGHT FIRE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2006. AFTER DRIVING BACK TO WORK ON A SATURDAY EVENING, I PARKED THE CAR JUST OUTSIDE OUR ENTRANCE. MY FIANCE AND I SAT DOWN TO EAT DINNER NEAR THE ENTRANCE, AND WITHIN 10 MINUTES NOTICED A FOG DRIFTING BY THE ENTRANCE DOORS. WHEN WE TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WHITE FOG, WE REALIZED IT WAS SMOKE AND CALLED THE ANN ARBOR FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY WE'RE ON THE WAY. AFTER HANGING UP THE PHONE, A BURST OF FLAMES EXITED OUT THE FRONT WHEEL WELL. I IMMEDIATELY GRABBED A DRY-CHEM FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND RAN OUTSIDE TO SPRAY UNDER THE WHEEL WELL. IT PUSHED THE FLAMES BACK, BUT THE FLAMES RETURNED ALMOST INSTANTLY EVEN STRONGER. I SPRAYED ANOTHER FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT IT HAD LITTLE EFFECT. AT THAT POINT I DECIDED TO GET AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND WAIT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRST TO ARRIVE WAS A POLICE OFFICER WHO STOOD BY AS WE WAITED FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS. WHILE WAITING, THE HOOD POPPED THE LATCH FROM THE PRESSURE BUILD-UP. ONCE THE FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED, THE FIREFIGHTERS USED AN AXE TO OPEN THE HOOD, AND TWO OTHER FIREFIGHTERS STOOD OVER THE FLAMES WITH THE HOSE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. AFTER THEY WERE FINISHED, THE FIRE INSPECTOR TOOK A LOOK AT THE ENGINE TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE AND TOOK A FEW PICTURES. MUCH OF THE FRONT END OF THE CAR MELTED, AND THE BLACK MELTED PLASTIC WAS CLEANED UP BY A TOW TRUCK DRIVER. THANKFULLY, I STILL HAVE THE

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10182049
Machine
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