$100k Alfa Romeo 159 burnt to a smouldering wreck via AsiaOne

[g8crasher]

$100k Alfa Romeo 159 burnt to a smouldering wreck By Danson Cheong

A SMOULDERING wreck.

That was what Mr Julius Toh's $100,000 new Alfa Romeo 159 was reduced to.

On 9 Feb, Mr Toh was walking back to his car after dinner at Jago Close, in the Marine Parade area, when he saw two police officers.

The 40-year-old, who works in the media industry, had left his car there for about an hour and a half.

The officers were not there to issue a summons but because his car had been on fire.

How the fire started is still a mystery.

Mr Toh was having dinner alone and had no clue what had happened.

He later learnt from residents living nearby that the front portion of his car started to smoke and burn about five minutes after he left.

The residents called the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

An SCDF spokesman said: "SCDF received the call at 5.45pm regarding a fire involving the front portion of a car."

"One fire engine and a Red Rhino were dispatched and the fire was extinguished by two water jets."

The car suffered extensive damage.

Mr Toh said: "The bonnet was sunken and was an ash grey colour. The windscreen melted and the left side of the bumper was charred and crumpled in the heat."

Mr Toh called his car dealer, EuroAutomobile, which arranged for his car to be towed away that night.

But he's not happy that the rental car he got from the dealer was for only a week's use.

He claimed he has been without a car for a month now, although he is still paying off his car loan, at $1,200 a month.

EuroAutomobile general manager David Tay refused to comment on what could have sparked the fire, saying only that 'the matter is still under investigation'.

Mr Tay added: "We advised him (Mr Toh) to make a claim with his insurer from the onset, so he would be least inconvenienced."

Mr Toh said: "I contacted my insurance agent within a week of the incident happening."

EuroAutomobile said it is waiting for the findings of an independent surveyor on the cause of the incident.

The fire started mysteriously after Mr Toh left. Mr Toh also told The New Paper that his insurer has told him to wait for the findings of the independent report.Double Your Career Opportunities with a Double Major IT Degree

But what could have possibly gone wrong?

Mr Mike Low, a car mechanic with 20 years' experience, told The New Paper: "The only thing I can think of is an engine oil or petrol leak."

"Once the car is switched off, the pressure in the fuel lines is still very high. If the pipe is punctured, the fuel will shoot out, which might ignite," Mr Low explained.

He said he encounters two or three similar cases of cars catching fire each year.

This article was first published in The New Paper.

[Guest relagsingh]

wah lan... heart pain man... :Cry:

[g8crasher]

relagsingh wrote:

wah lan... heart pain man... :Cry:

I'd be very interested to know how the fire started though.

[Guest dewey]

i see 6pot BBK...

[g8crasher]

dewey wrote:

i see 6pot BBK...

Job hazard. :becky:

[Guest desmo]

OK,

Lets run though a few possible causes:

1. Comment from Clipping "a car mechanic with 20 years' experience, told The New Paper: "The only thing I can think of is an engine oil or petrol leak"

My comment:

OK having have a Ducati for 8Yrs (Italian Motorbike) .... Sorry some people have not heard of this brand I need to explain :tsk:) and a Harley Davidson 4yrs here in Singapore, Often due to extreme heat and both these these bikes being aircooled (No radiator), the engine heat (Under the tank and carbys) use to boil the fuel in the bowl of my carburetors and the boiling fuel often overflowed via the overflow tube directly onto the red hot exhaust pipe headers directly off the head of the motor.

This happened on many occasions in the middle of Johor or even here in Singapore whilst waiting at the traffic lights. (I have to say the first couple of times I jumped off ran away and waited for the large fire).

But it never happened, it just steamed and evaporated.

Fuel vapor needs a raw flame or a large spark to ignite.

Oil does not burn easily as their are no flamable vapours .....so thats out.

So what could cause such a fire?

A short Circuit is generally what the problem will be in the HIGH current wiring loom, however most of the HIGH current battery feeds are usually fused at or near the battery incase of such a short circuit occuring further up the wiring away from the battery.

Low current circuits come off the main wiring loom via the fuse box under the dash or kick panel, so they are self protected via the 15Amp or below fuses.

Often car fires are started via a short circuit in the battery itself, where the internal plates fuse together causing a melt down and the very flamable vapors will ignite from the sparks.

The other common one is a bad installation of a aftermarket car audio system, where the high current amplifyer power feed (+12v at High Amps) shorts against the body (Ground) and spark and cause excessive heat melting the wires insulation, igniting and creating a small fire to burn flamable items under the bonnet.

After all the car is Italian just like my Ducati. :whistle:

Lets await and see!

Desmo

[Guest relagsingh]

wow.

u own an air cooled ducati? wat model?

IMO petrol have a very high flash pt unlike lub oils as explained by u. but it doesn't really need a raw flame or a spark to ignite, like wat happened during yr bike rides. but as long there's a high heat and other sources of fuel around. it'll just keep on burning.

therefore a leaking fuel line to cause such a fire could still be a possibilty. with a hot engine and other combustible materials around eg, batteries, engine covers, rubber hoses, etc.

btw i owned a nice air-cooled bike before myself. :bounce:

[Guest desmo]

Left with a Ducati Monster 944.

Why 944? Due to the Big Bore kit.

Why left with a Ducati?

Sold the fully Chromed Harley FXSTS just under 2 months ago after owning it for many years here, more of a project bike and polished chrome show piece.

One of very few in Singapore Chopper 21" front wheel ... Sold to a nice swiming and diving instructor who just enjoys cruising.

Now have a Merc to polish, mod and play with. Nice :becky: finally back into owning a car after having rented one for the last 8yrs......expensive option indeed.

[Guest relagsingh]

desmo wrote:

Left with a Ducati Monster 944.

Why 944? Due to the Big Bore kit.

Why left with a Ducati?

Sold the fully Chromed Harley FXSTS just under 2 months ago after owning it for many years here, more of a project bike and polished chrome show piece.

One of very few in Singapore Chopper 21" front wheel ... Sold to a nice swiming and diving instructor who just enjoys cruising.

Now have a Merc to polish, mod and play with. Nice :becky: finally back into owning a car after having rented one for the last 8yrs......expensive option indeed.

nice...

choppers with a 21" front is rare indeed. so no more bikes left? i bet u'll miss riding.

like how i miss my GS :Cry: