Vehicle Fire at Wildewood

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Date: 5-24-18
Time: 1:29 p.m.
Location / Address: 23415 Three Notch Rd., California, St. Mary's County, Maryland
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: 2016 Hyundai SUV
Owner / Occupants: Robert Oliver
Injuries or Deaths: Injuries - Three people sustained injuries - 1 (90 year old male) was flown by Trooper 7 to MedStar Washington Burn Center
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $ 15,000.00 Contents: $
Smoke Alarm Status: N/A
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: N/A
Arrests(s): None
Primary Responding Fire Department: Bay District Volunteer Fire Department
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 5
Time to Control: 10 minutes
Discovered By: Passer-By
Area of Origin: Interior of Vehicle
Preliminary Cause: Accidental

Additional Information: Mr. Oliver had recently purchased gasoline from WaWa to mow his yard, placing the gas container in the trunk of his vehicle. He then stopped at the Bed, Bath & Beyond in California to shop. When he re-entered his vehicle the fumes from the gasoline ignited. Four citizens reacted quickly to extract Mr. Oliver from the burning vehicle and administer first aid. Mr. Oliver was flown to MedStar Washington Burn Center. One citizen was treated at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital for smoke inhalation and one was treated on the scene for minor burns to the arm.

See that bolded part? Yeah, don't do that.

vehiclefire.JPG
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
HO LEE SCHIAT!
Wow, that puppy went up. That does not look like an accidental fire to me. I've seen a lot of car fires but nothing where the car was that fully engulfed in flames.

Damn lucky some folks were willing to risk their skin to save his.
If noting else, it shows there are some good people out there.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
HO LEE SCHIAT!
Wow, that puppy went up. That does not look like an accidental fire to me. I've seen a lot of car fires but nothing where the car was that fully engulfed in flames.

Damn lucky some folks were willing to risk their skin to save his.
If noting else, it shows there are some good people out there.


Fuel vapors are used in one of the most terrifying weapons there is for a reason. When you ignite them, bad stuff happens FAST.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwenFvMICbs
 

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
I know the Grandson, he is looking to thank the people who helped his Grandfather.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
Fuel vapors are used in one of the most terrifying weapons there is for a reason. When you ignite them, bad stuff happens FAST.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwenFvMICbs

I've seen vapor blow, but the fireball was gone, left behind some burns and charred hair. That car looks it is was "blown up" on a movie set.
I say movie set because Mythbusters did a couple of shows trying to replicate the explosions seen in movies and the vehicle is damaged but a full on fire was never set.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
I've seen vapor blow, but the fireball was gone, left behind some burns and charred hair. That car looks it is was "blown up" on a movie set.
I say movie set because Mythbusters did a couple of shows trying to replicate the explosions seen in movies and the vehicle is damaged but a full on fire was never set.

Right, so did they put gas cans in the back and leave it in the sun until the pressure had filled the car with vapor? Probably not, because they are trying to replicate stunts showing cars that blew up from crashing. And in the open air, the vapor has very little push, like an M80 laying on concrete. Place that same firecracker in a sealed container........ And of course, once the container was breached, that extra fuel was right there...
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
The good news is that at 90 he was out and about getting ready to mow his lawn.

I hope he pulls through. Thank God there were courageous bystanders willing to pull him from the vehicle.
 

warneckutz

Well-Known Member
Additional Information: Mr. Oliver had recently purchased gasoline from WaWa to mow his yard, placing the gas container in the trunk of his vehicle. He then stopped at the Bed, Bath & Beyond in California to shop. When he re-entered his vehicle the fumes from the gasoline ignited. Four citizens reacted quickly to extract Mr. Oliver from the burning vehicle and administer first aid. Mr. Oliver was flown to MedStar Washington Burn Center. One citizen was treated at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital for smoke inhalation and one was treated on the scene for minor burns to the arm.

See that bolded part? Yeah, don't do that.

View attachment 122833


Definitely should've purchased gas from Sunoco or Exxon instead. :yay:
 

getbent

Thats how them b*tch's R
Date: 5-24-18
Time: 1:29 p.m.
Location / Address: 23415 Three Notch Rd., California, St. Mary's County, Maryland
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: 2016 Hyundai SUV
Owner / Occupants: Robert Oliver
Injuries or Deaths: Injuries - Three people sustained injuries - 1 (90 year old male) was flown by Trooper 7 to MedStar Washington Burn Center
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $ 15,000.00 Contents: $
Smoke Alarm Status: N/A
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: N/A
Arrests(s): None
Primary Responding Fire Department: Bay District Volunteer Fire Department
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 5
Time to Control: 10 minutes
Discovered By: Passer-By
Area of Origin: Interior of Vehicle
Preliminary Cause: Accidental

Additional Information: Mr. Oliver had recently purchased gasoline from WaWa to mow his yard, placing the gas container in the trunk of his vehicle. He then stopped at the Bed, Bath & Beyond in California to shop. When he re-entered his vehicle the fumes from the gasoline ignited. Four citizens reacted quickly to extract Mr. Oliver from the burning vehicle and administer first aid. Mr. Oliver was flown to MedStar Washington Burn Center. One citizen was treated at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital for smoke inhalation and one was treated on the scene for minor burns to the arm.

See that bolded part? Yeah, don't do that.

View attachment 122833

Dang. Well i guess i won't be cutting my grass anymore. I don't have a pickup truck to haul it in. Glad he was pulled to safety.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
thinking the 2nd sentence should have been highlighted, not the first.

both, but if you do put it in your trunk, keep the car open and maybe do it after sundown.
Actually in the summer they recommend you pump gas after the sun goes down or early in the morning.
Maybe also invest in a proper container.

and that sort of explains why the entire car was so engulfed. First the fumes, then the gas in the can until it probably went through the trunk to the tank below. Literally adding fuel to the fire each second it burned.
 
Last edited:
Top