VEHICLE STRUT EXPLOSIONS

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County of Los Angeles FIRE DEPARTMENT
VEHICLE STRUT EXPLOSIONS
Injury to Firefighters
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Wichita - Kansas Fire Department

• Fire Fighter Severely Injured During
  Extinguishment Of An Automobile Fire

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Wichita - Kansas Incident

• January 17, 1995
• A Lieutenant was opening the hood of an
  automobile fire
• On a 1993 Oldsmobile, Achieva
• Major fire involvement in the engine compartment
• Gas spring (Strut) in the hood area exploded

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Wichita - Kansas Incident

• The housing from the gas spring (strut) propelled
  the tube out the front headlight
• The housing from the gas spring (strut) impaled
  into the Lieutenants hand
• The second gas spring (strut) located under the
  hood exploded
• Rocketed out the front headlight

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Investigation Of The Wichita Incident

• National Center for Automobile Safety
• U.S. Department of Transportation Auto Safety Hot
  Line
• U.S. Department of Transportation National
  Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• National Consumer Product Safety Commission

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Investigation Of The Wichita Incident

• U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA)
• General Motors Corporation, Consumer Division
• Legal and Liability concerns
• Would not provide any data or make
  recommendations
• Ford Motors Corporation, Customer Hotline (same
  results as G.M.)

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Fire Departments Nation Wide

• Do they recognize that small diameter gas springs
  (struts) are an explosion / rocket hazard when
  exposed to high temperature conditions during
  automotive fires?

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Fire Departments Nation Wide

• Have they experienced fire fighter injuries from
  exploding / rocketing small diameter gas springs
  (struts) during automobile extinguishment
  operations?

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Gas Spring Struts

• Gas springs come in a variety of lengths and
  diameters
• On all 1992 - 1998 G.M. vehicle hoods , lift
  gates, etc.
• Simple in construction
• Sealed cylinder consisting of only a few basic
  components rod, tube, piston, seals and end
  attachments

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Gas Spring Struts

• They contain pressurized inert gas (nitrogen) and
  a small amount of oil
• The increase in force on compression is between
  5 and 50 from the point where the rod is almost
  fully extended to the point where it is fully
  compressed

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Gas Spring Struts

• The cylinders are generally constructed of 1040
  mild steel and are coated with a baked matte
  black epoxy power paint
• The rod is also made of 1040 mild steel, and is
  chrome plated
• Both finishes are resistant to corrosion

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Temperature Affects Performance

• Gas springs (struts) are designed to operate at
  temperatures ranging from minus 40 degrees F to
  284 degrees F
• No manufacturer could provide any evidence that
  any testing at temperatures above 284 degrees F
  had ever been conducted

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Temperature Affects Performance

• Additionally, no manufacturer could provide any
  data on the temperature at which the entire gas
  spring or any portion of the unit (cylinder,
  seals, or fittings to which it attaches) fails.

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Vehicle Fire Hazards

• Energy Absorbing Bumpers
• Vehicle Suspension Systems
• Safety Restraint System
• Hatchback and Hood Gas Springs (Struts)
• Fuel Systems

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Vehicle Fire Hazards

• Vehicle Drive Shafts
• Split Rims
• Batteries

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Strut Explosion - 1998 Chevy Blazer

• L.A. County Fire - 8/9/98 - 0052 Hrs.
• Vehicle fire in the passenger area
• Well involved with fire
• Rear glass window hatch open
• Both gas spring (struts) exploded
• One strut traveled at a right angle about 50 to
  75 feet from vehicle
• No Fire Fighter injuries

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Kansas City, Kansas Incident

• March 1997, gas spring strut
• 1993 Chevrolet Caprice police cruiser
• Exploded during an engine compartment fire
• Launching a metal shard into the right flank of a
  fire fighter

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Kansas City, Kansas Incident

• Causing serious soft tissue injury
• The fire fighter was assisting another fire
  fighter in opening the hood of the involved
  vehicle

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County of Los Angeles Fire Department

• Fire Fighter Severely Injured During
  Extinguishment Of An Automobile Fire

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L.A. County Incident

• July 26, 1998 - 0220 Hours
• Fire Fighter prying open the hood of an
  automobile fire
• On a 1992 Oldsmobile, Achieva
• Major fire involvement in the engine compartment
  area
• Gas spring (strut) exploded in the hood area

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Wichita - Kansas Incident

• January 17, 1995
• A Lieutenant was opening the hood of an
  automobile fire
• On a 1993 Oldsmobile, Achieva
• Major fire involvement in the engine compartment
• Gas spring (Strut) in the hood area exploded

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L.A. County Incident

• The housing from the gas spring (strut) propelled
  out of the front part of the vehicle where it
  appeared to glance off the asphalt
• Impaling into the right lower leg of the Fire
  Fighter as he was trying to pry open the hood
  latch

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L.A. County Incident

• The second gas spring (strut) located under the
  hood appeared to explode
• Propelled forward 56 6 into the front of a gas
  station

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L.A. County Incident

• Striking the gas station at a five foot high
  level
• Making a 3 indentation into the aluminum fascia
  
• Then ricocheting another 33 feet where it finally
  came to rest on the asphalt

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Tactics Strategy

• Clear citizens in, near and around the vehicle
• Appropriate hose line, minimum 1 3/4
• Foam capabilities
• Proper positioning of your apparatus
• Approach the vehicle at a 90 angle and never
  from the ends

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Tactics Strategy

• Avoid approaching directly in front of or in the
  rear of the automobile
• Pry open the hood along one of its sides just
  enough to direct a fog stream into the engine
  compartment
• After knock down, personnel should return to a
  safe location, allowing gas struts to cool

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Fire Fighter Safety

• High risk / Low frequency
• Can you afford a career ending injury
• The fire damaged vehicle goes to the junk yard
• I did not anticipate or expect that to happen