Posted on 06/15/2005 1:40:42 PM PDT by Millee
Security cameras capture a lot of strange things, but a security camera at a Buffalo car wash caught something that’s almost spooky.
A truck sits in the shop with the engine off. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, it bursts into flames.
And if that's not weird enough, just before the fire appears the lights turn on for a while and then flicker.
The videotape shows exactly how the fire started. A 1998 Chevy K-1500 pickup, freshly detailed, just sits in the shop, with no one around.
At 10:48 p.m. the headlights turn on, 26 minutes later, they shut off.
A minute after that, they flicker, and turn on again.
And that's when you start to see a glow inside the cab near the driver's door.
The fire grows more intense, and eventually the windshield explodes.
The video ends when the heat melts the camera right off the wall.
Shop owner Randy Ernesti doesn't believe anything his crew did caused the fire.
"They didn't do anything different to clean the vehicle or anything like that," Ernesti said.
So we checked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Owners of other Chevy K-1500s reported fires starting in the driver's side door. Investigators traced the problem to wiring for the power mirror and ordered a recall.
But when we checked with General Motors, they told us this specific truck was not part of the mirror recall.
Certain Ford trucks were also recalled for bursting into flames, even with the engines off.
Ford traced that problem to a faulty cruise control switch and recalled 800,000 vehicles.
But again, no link to the type of fire that consumed Randy Ernesti's vehicle.
"It's just one of those acts I guess that just happen and luckily nobody was hurt and that's what we're grateful for," Ernesti said.
While two insurance companies and GM try to find the cause, Randy Ernesti had to take out a loan to repair his business. He hopes when the cause is found, he'll get that money back.
The mysterious fire caused Ernesti to add one new procedure at his shop: Whenever a vehicle is parked inside overnight, employees disconnect the battery.
Christine's brother?
Bush's fault.
Blimey. And the big US carmakers wonder why they have problems.
Regards, Ivan
This is a funny article, but do you have any conservative politcal articles you'd like to post now that you've joined FR?
Gremlins. The WW2 variety, that is.
Sounds like Herby's cousin was protesting the new movie by setting himself on fire.
"The mysterious fire caused Ernesti to add one new procedure at his shop: Whenever a vehicle is parked inside overnight, employees disconnect the battery."
Give me a break. There is a freak incident like this and they think it's going to happen twice?
No surprise here. Guns shoot all by themselves all the time. Inanimate objects do this you know.
We have spontaneous human combustion; why not spontaneous auto combustion?
The car was previously owned by Howard Dean :)
Where's Dateline NBC....
....planting more explosive devices on GM trucks.
Just guessing, but a short in the headlight control switch comes to mind.
Pick up Suicide
I know my short term memory loss is bad but didnt I see this on the Twilight Zone many years ago??
Cudda been any number of shows but it aint new :-)
:-)
big recall going on for this.
Ford's fix is to disconnect the Cruise Control,
Quality, Job 4,023,423,654
Ford traced that problem to a faulty cruise control switch and recalled 800,000 vehicles.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.