Looking for Prius's that were on Fire

[feffer37]

Hi -

I'm looking for any concrete examples of a Toyota Prius burning up, or causing a fire.

I'm not interested in:

- Sensationalist stores
- Rumors or Urban legends about hybrids

We're investigating a house fire that started in a garage, which incidently, a 2005 Toyota Prius was the only car present. Houses burn up for lots of reasons, it just happens to be my job to do research to help the investigator either rule in or rule out a possibility.

Thank you to anyone who has any information that may help.

- feffer37

[daronspicher]

I thought fire investigators could point toward the source of the fire by the way beams twisted, plastic melted and aftermath was laying....

Are you leaning in the direction that the fire started with the prius, or is there evidence that it came at the car from one angle or the other?

[iaowings]

Are you from an insurance company or a private investigator? Because unless you can substantiate any story you get here you are essentially wasting your time. Do you plan to tell your client sorry we cant pay you because I found information on the internet and have no way of proving any of it to be real but never the less we are not paying you? Is that what you will tell a judge?

The only story I know if is a sensational one were a guy runs into a gas station. Did they by chance also have a ford? Thos spontaneously combust and maybe it was jealous of the prius.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Apr 10 2007, 03:50 PM) [snapback]420969[/snapback]</div>

I thought fire investigators could point toward the source of the fire by the way beams twisted, plastic melted and aftermath was laying....

Are you leaning in the direction that the fire started with the prius, or is there evidence that it came at the car from one angle or the other?
[/b]

I just had a apt fir 4 month ago. Often times the insurance company will higher a private investigator as does the property owner. The one my apt hired tried to say it was my coffee maker because it was automatic. He ignored all the evidence from the fire marshal and the arson investigator saying it was a faulty stove. Also the private investigator from my insurance company said it was the stove and the apt was negligent for fixing the gas pipe with duct tape. The city engineer said the same thing but the apt wanted to pin it on me and sue my insurance company for the damages.

Not saying that is what this person is doing but these companies do not like to pay out money. If they can blame it on the prius and get money from Toyota they will.



Oh I forgot to mention that the apt’s fire investigator came in two weeks after everyone else and after the clean up crew had removed everything.

[acdii]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IAO @ Apr 10 2007, 03:01 PM) [snapback]420972[/snapback]</div>

Did they by chance also have a ford? Thos spontaneously combust and maybe it was jealous of the prius.

[/b]

Ruhroh, I better clear out my Garage I have 3 Fords in there now!

[JimboK]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IAO @ Apr 10 2007, 04:01 PM) [snapback]420972[/snapback]</div>

Are you from an insurance company or a private investigator?
[/b]

There's at least one other possibility: He might work for the fire marshal's office.

Regardless, he said he's not looking for sensationalism or urban myths, and appears to be seeking the truth. I accept his request at face value, and I'm not inclined to read an ulterior motive into the request.

Feffer37, speaking as one who works for the local fire department, I have heard of no reports.

[iaowings]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Apr 10 2007, 04:58 PM) [snapback]421035[/snapback]</div>

There's at least one other possibility: He might work for the fire marshal's office.

Regardless, he said he's not looking for sensationalism or urban myths, and appears to be seeking the truth. I accept his request at face value, and I'm not inclined to read an ulterior motive into the request.

Feffer37, speaking as one who works for the local fire department, I have heard of no reports.
[/b]

I am not reading into an ulterior motive here just wondering how he/she planes to use info gathered on the internet? Non of what is said here can be validated for legal usage unless the op is willing to fly out and get the data or set up someway of getting the proof from people here.

JimboK thank you for the work you do. You will be able to answer this. can you use data from the internet in you reports. More specifically can you say in an official report that “oh yeah I read on the internet that blah blah blah; Without official ways to back it up.

[JimboK]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IAO @ Apr 10 2007, 05:05 PM) [snapback]421040[/snapback]</div>

JimboK thank you for the work you do. You will be able to answer this. can you use data from the internet in you reports. More specifically can you say in an official report that "oh yeah I read on the internet that blah blah blah; Without official ways to back it up.
[/b]

First, thanks for your "thanks." I should mention that I'm not one of those crazy folks who runs into burning buildings while others are running out. I'm too old and too wimpy. My background is EMS, so I'll take care of the injured after the brave ones pull them out.

I think we're probably saying the same thing. It doesn't matter to me whether information comes via the internet. The internet is a medium. If the reliability of data is critical, I want to verify it with the original source, regardless of the medium. I do agree that anecdotes from web forums should be taken with skepticism. For that matter, so should many news reports. Unfortunately we tend to accept all of what we read and hear as fact, even though it's often, "I heard ...," or "Experts say ...." But sources like these are worthwhile as starting points.

The OP, as a professional, presumably knows this.

[iaowings]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Apr 10 2007, 05:28 PM) [snapback]421056[/snapback]</div>

First, thanks for your "thanks." I should mention that I'm not one of those crazy folks who runs into burning buildings while others are running out. I'm too old and too wimpy. My background is EMS, so I'll take care of the injured after the brave ones pull them out.

It doesn't matter to me whether information comes via the internet. The internet is a medium. If the reliability of data is critical, I want to verify it with the original source, regardless of the medium. I do agree that anecdotes from web forums should be taken with skepticism. For that matter, so should many news reports. Unfortunately we tend to accept all of what we read and hear as fact, even though it's often, "I heard ...," or "Experts say ...." But sources like these are worthwhile as starting points.

The OP, as a professional, presumably knows this.
[/b]

You have some good points.

Hey I was a Corpsman in the navy assigned to the marines. Ems is very important work and often goes un-thanked. What good does running into a building to get someone out do if there is no one to keep them alive.

[alexstarfire]

Personally I've never heard of a Prius just "catching" fire before. The only way that would even remotely be possible is if the hybrid battery were faulty. BTW I am not including things that every car has, like gas and a 12v battery, etc..

Chances are highly unlikely that the hybrid battery could even start a fire by itself.

[FireEngineer]

In my professional career as a fire protection engineer for a LARGE mid-west city I have never of heard of a Prius fire.

Wayne