Forum Discussion

TucsonJim's avatar
TucsonJim
Explorer II
Sep 08, 2016

Separating your vehicles in an emergency

You may have read that we lost our truck and fifth wheel last week in a horrendous fire. Although the exact cause has not been identified yet, it appears to be from a diesel fuel leak near the top of the engine while we were driving at 55mph on the interstate. Here's a picture of the rig after the fire:



By the time we got stopped, the engine was blazing very hot, and fire fighting with multiple extinguishers was unsuccessful. In the heat of the moment, I could not come up with a plan to separate the fiver from the truck. As a result, the blaze spread through the truck and eventually entered the FW through the front cap and destroyed the trailer. Even if I was able to pull the FW hitch pin, I couldn't get back into the truck to pull forward because of the flames and smoke. In addition, if I'd restarted the truck, it would have pumped even more fuel onto the fire.

I surrendered, made sure everyone was at a safe distance and waited on the fire department. Here is the front of the fiver the next day:



So my question is this: Can you think of a way to safely separate a fifth wheel from the tow vehicle when the TV is on fire? If we can come up with a way, maybe it might save another owner from the heartache we've suffered in losing our retirement rig.

Jim
  • TomHaycraft's avatar
    TomHaycraft
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2016
    Hi Jim,

    I've been running that scenario through my mind since first hearing about the fire the other week. When it is the tow vehicle on fire, I'm not sure there are any good options, especially if you fear that the fire could be caused by a fuel leak.

    Fire in the trailer (5th wheel), if caught early enough, one *might* have a chance to drop the trailer and pull away, but even that move could put the operator at risk. It would require:

    - landing gear with inner legs that could be quickly dropped and pinned
    - tailgate lower down
    - jaws on the hitch that will release without taking the time to raise the nose of the trailer and unweight the jaws / king pin
    - grabbing the emergency brake wire and hoping current is still flowing to the magnets on the brakes (or hydraulic pump)
    - pulling away.

    You, your wife and your dog were successful in your escape. You did all you could. Maybe like a pilot who will say, "any landing I can walk away from, is a good landing!"

    I'll continue to follow along, see if other find any other words of wisdom.

    Take care.

    Tom
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Sep 08, 2016
    Truck/trailer are just objects.......expendable. Even the STUFF inside either one.

    Get out, get away and watch.


    I fought fires on oil rigs, aboard NAVY ship and at couple of Power Plants cause I was on the job, nobody else around and it was required of me.

    No more of that....
    My job is to get everyone out/away safely and make sure Insurance is current/proper and paid if full


    You done GOOD!!!
  • ramgunner's avatar
    ramgunner
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2016
    All I can see would require a perfect scenario. Someone on-scene with another truck and a tow chain/rope ready to go. Drop landing gear, release 5th wheel hitch, hook them onto one of your front tow hooks and pull the truck away from the trailer - all without risking the pulling vehicle. I don't realistically see that happening.

    Perhaps if the truck was in neutral you might have been able to drop the landing gear, disconnect hitch and push it away, but I don't think you had that kind of time, and if the weight wasn't sufficiently off of the hitch that would have added to the time required.
  • TucsonJim's avatar
    TucsonJim
    Explorer II
    Sep 08, 2016
    There was also a tremendous urge to go inside the fw and save some valuables. But even though the adrenaline was pumping, I realized it would be a foolish thing to try.
  • mbrower's avatar
    mbrower
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2016
    Some people have trouble un-hitching when they are not being rushed or panicked. Decisions made under duress can be disastrous. I hope if I am ever in your situation, that I can make the same decision you did. Its hard watching your possession's being destroyed and not feel compelled to "do something" where in this case, get clear and do nothing was a very wise decision indeed.
  • dapperdan's avatar
    dapperdan
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2016
    Jim,
    I can tell you from my truck driving days, although it never happened to me personally I witnessed a truck/trailer fire fairly close. The driver pulled over, his brakes on the trailer were "hanging" up, by the time he realized he was on fire it had already spread to the cargo box from the axels. He pulled the fifth wheel pin, got in the cab quickly and dropped the trailer on it's nose. The tractor was spared but by the time the fire department arrived it was too late for the trailer and it's contents! Luckily there wasn't Hazmat on board.

    I have thought about this scenario before your incident and I'm not sure how I'd respond, like you stated the fire was really advanced giving you no time or very little time to react and disconnect. Any way you slice it in a case like yours I don't think there would be many options.

    I CAN"T imagine how it must've felt to watch your rig burn while waiting helplessly for the fire department. So sorry for your loss! :(

    Dan
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2016
    That's a good question but, sometimes we need to use common sense and put personal safety before the safety of property.
    That is what you did and it was the right thing to do at the time.

    Even if there was a way to quickly disconnect two vehicles, some people will be quicker than others. So it probably wouldn't be safe or practical for everyone.


    You lost your rig and it was tragic. But no one was hurt. That's that matters.
  • GordonThree's avatar
    GordonThree
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2016
    I've never unhitched a 5th. I suppose something like put the truck in neutral, drop the landing gear, pull the pin and push the truck hoping it will roll away from the trailer. But then you have a truck on fire that's moving out of control.

    Carry good insurance is the only solution I can think of.

    Thanks for sharing the pictures. What a horrible ordeal to go through, glad you and yours are unhurt.
  • DownTheAvenue's avatar
    DownTheAvenue
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2016
    I am so sorry that you lost your truck and trailer. I am so happy you did not loose you or your wife.

    You did exactly the right thing to do. Get everyone in a safe location and let the professional deal with the emergency. I am sure you have insurance to replace your lost property, but your life insurance will not replace you.

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