Report Number: 05-0000215
Report Date: 05/27/2005
Event Description
Date is uncertain. Around the year 1995.
Vehicle fire; small, two-door fully involved. Arrived, pulled 1 3/4" line and opened the nozzle to make attack. Attack crew was wearing full protective gear. An explosion took place from the vehicle with no additional fire produced. We believed it was a possible tire that had ignited. The fire was extinguished and no victim was found. Investigation found strange tears in the hood of the passenger compartment. We later found this was from the airbag exploding. No injuries occurred.
Lesson Learned
Vehicle manufacturers claim the airbag will not explode. They say it will melt or deactivate. If the bag would have exploded 5 seconds later one of my crew may have been struck. The rivets holding the front plate on were expelled like shrapnel from a hand grenade. The plate itself was blown out the rear of the car. This could have caused a fatal injury.
Teach your personnel to always wear full gear on all fires. Initially attack from a distance and move in. Never think this is just another fire or call.
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