28 replies to this topic

[haybaler101]

This was our excitement on Monday. My dad was working on the super mta’s fuel line and shorted the starter out and lit a full tank (20 gallon) of gas on fire inside the building. Tractor was sitting right behind planter. I have to commend my two sons, they saved several thousand dollars worth of equipment and 10,000 square feet of building space with 3 fire extinguishers.

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[Vol]

Sorry to hear of your loss Joe....but great for your sons level-headiness in times of sheer terror and panic. Times of this nature show how our children were nurtured. 

 

Also, a big plus to you for keeping fire extinguishers at hand. Very few do so. 

 

I hope you have no complications with the insurance providers. 

 

Regards, Mike

[Tx Jim]

Sorry for your loss & I'm glad none of your family was harmed. 

 

I still remember the day many yrs ago that my rd baler caught on fire due to a failed lower tailgate bearing. I dislike insurance adjusters & before the settlement check arrives the adjuster probably disliked me.

[JOR Farm]

Hate to hear that, hope no one was hurt.

[r82230]

Wow, tough to look at, sounds like nobody was hurt.  My Dad would say, 'you can replace things', not people.  And it looks like your son's did one heck of a job with just 3 extinguishers. 

 

Larry

[Gearclash]

Yikes!  That will put your heart rate off the monitor!  Glad everybody is unhurt!

[rjmoses]

Wow!  Thank goodness your sons were so on the ball!

 

Ralph

[PaMike]

Cant believe the fire got that hot that fast to melt the plastic...amazing how quick things happen.

[swmnhay]

Oh shit that sucks,glad they got it out.

[mlappin]

Sorry for your loss & I'm glad none of your family was harmed. 

 

I still remember the day many yrs ago that my rd baler caught on fire due to a failed lower tailgate bearing. I dislike insurance adjusters & before the settlement check arrives the adjuster probably disliked me.

Dealt with that crap when the same combine burnt twice. Lesson learned was when a combine catches fire make sure its a complete loss BEFORE calling the FD.

[CowboyRam]

Damn that sucks.  I'm glad no one was hurt.  Makes me wonder if I should insure my equipment; may have to think about that one.  

[carcajou]

Damn that sucks.  I'm glad no one was hurt.  Makes me wonder if I should insure my equipment; may have to think about that one.  

I can always find the money to pay the premium,  not sure if i could if i needed to replace the equipment.

[mlappin]

Grats on raising your kids to keep their heads screwed on straight in an emergency. I know of plenty 20 or even 30 somethings that would have completely lost it and stood and watched with their thumbs planted squarely in their bungholes.

[haybaler101]

Grats on raising your kids to keep their heads screwed on straight in an emergency. I know of plenty 20 or even 30 somethings that would have completely lost it and stood and watched with their thumbs planted squarely in their bungholes.

Yep, that is exactly what my 77 year old dad did. He didn’t lose it but didn’t know what to do either. Oh well, at least he isn’t crispy (we still don’t know how he is not) and he did manage to call me for help.

[SCtrailrider]

Sorry for your loss, but thankful it wasn't worse... it could very well have been...

 

Might be a good time to add a few more extinguishers, can't have too many...

 

And remember to disconnect the battery....  

[haybaler101]

Sorry for your loss, but thankful it wasn't worse... it could very well have been...

 

Might be a good time to add a few more extinguishers, can't have too many...

 

And remember to disconnect the battery....  

That is what my boys are getting my dad for Christmas, a fire extinguisher for his Polaris ranger! Definitely opened our eyes to making sure we have enough extinguishers in all buildings and equipment and making sure they have routine service,  Luke, my second son, is taking the John Deere tech program at local university and he has been telling me for sometime to always remove battery cables before working on anything. I am a believer for sure now.

[mlappin]

That is what my boys are getting my dad for Christmas, a fire extinguisher for his Polaris ranger! Definitely opened our eyes to making sure we have enough extinguishers in all buildings and equipment and making sure they have routine service,  Luke, my second son, is taking the John Deere tech program at local university and he has been telling me for sometime to always remove battery cables before working on anything. I am a believer for sure now.

With as much electronics that are on crap now, even a short across a wrench while working on a starter could cost thousands in burnt modules. Anything electric doesn’t work near as well once the smoke escapes.

[stack em up]

With as much electronics that are on crap now, even a short across a wrench while working on a starter could cost thousands in burnt modules. Anything electric doesn’t work near as well once the smoke escapes.

That factory installed smoke is hella expensive.

[haybaler101]

That factory installed smoke is hella expensive.

I am just glad we stopped the fire where we did, planter has about $5000 worth of Ag Leader control modules mounted under one of the front of one of the fertilizer tank frames. Fire only melted a couple  of wiring harnesses on the backbone.  Actually, got the seed boxes off yesterday, and planter is not hurt to bad. Need 13 boxes and lids (seed meters are fine), 2 fertilizer tanks, vacuum manifold and tubes on main frame, couple wiring harnesses and some air line and fertilizer tubing. I think I can fix used for 3-5k and if Deere comes in new with labor, probably 20-25k.

[endrow]

Sad pictures, but fortunate things did not turn out worse. Nice old MTA probably easy to redo if you chose . Was the MTA owned by your family for a long time . Maybe since new I guess your dad wouldn't be quite old enough to have bought it new .

           Rode the local fire truck half my life and seen alot of farm tractor / equipment fires started by battery cables from starter to battery problems . Maybe battery hold downs  or cable clamps failed or were thrown in trash .