Well handled fire at 2011 Bathurst 1000

[PVDA]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKTPmyVarN8

David Besnard wasn't reminded (faulty radio) so forgot to pump the brakes after a pad change during yesterdays Bathurst 1000 race resulting in the rear grabbing and throwing him into the wall just before turn 2.

I'd love to know what started the fire as it was a single car crash and it started well away from the car and burned towards it along the spilt fuel on the track.

This also shows the down side of Dry Break Fuel Systems in these sort of hits, the dry break fitting is ripped off the car and the entire bladder contents exposed so if the car is spinning or the bladder squeezed you get a tootpaste out of a tube effect and all it takes is a spark . . . . . . . . . .

Anyway seeing this is a marshals forum a job well done by the two foot soldiers on scene.

[Woolley]

Superbly done. Not least the guy to the right of the car who's standing at the edge of (but perfectly, not in) the fuel on the circuit, steadfastly training his extinguisher on the driver's side of the car. Huge credit for presence of mind there, and a big thumbs up for properly trained marshals using the proper equipment and the depth of their ability showing that a big fire needn't be a problem, in complete contrast to threads regarding certain European circuits. Well done, guys.

2nd V8 this year to go up from a rear end hit suggests a design problem. The force acting on the fuel shows in that the camera lens has had a dosing - and presumably it's operator too, so further credit to him for staying at his post.

The ignition? I'm guessing impact between car and wall created a spark igniting whatever fuel was left at the crash point, just then needed the fuel running down the track to complete the fuse.

[PVDA]

Don't forget it's been raining on and off up there all week so the tyre wall would've been full of water as well (I've certainly copped a shower from tyres walls in the past).

One theory being discussed on FB is a passing car exhaust flame may well have ignited the fuel as the V8's have thier exhaust exiting on the left side of the car which is the side facing the fuel spill in this case.

THe planned upgrade the the Car of the Future will see the fuel cell move forward of the rear axle line hopefully eliminating this issue, or at least reducing it as the dry break fitting will likely still be at the rear and possibly damaged in a big hit.

[ascarmarshal]

That was good marshalling. Well done to all involved. Bet te cameraman is feeling the effects of the powder

[juliet]

Firsly am quite supprised that the race was allowed to keep running past the scene of a massive fire and secondly well done lads, a sterling piece of marshalling there, showing complete presence of mind and speed, Very impressed

[Hepatic]

saw it live and it scared the hell out of me, even being sat on the sofa. the full speed replay with the sound of the impact makes me cringe every time. superbly well handled, credit to all those involved.

on the ignition point, it's plainly away from the car itself but might it have been the battery? is that not located in the rear of the car too?

[m1fcf]

Originally Posted by Hepatic

on the ignition point, it's plainly away from the car itself but might it have been the battery? is that not located in the rear of the car too?

That's possible, another alternative could be the now loose hot parts that have been dropped off the car after the impact? Something suggests to me that if it was a spark, it might have caught up with the car sooner, but a hot part sitting in a puddle might have taken a bit longer to reach ignition point?

Either way, expertly done by the marshals on scene!!

[NewYankee01]

if there's ever a video to show us all at the training days in the new year, this is the one to show us all! i think it may be past the point of sending a link, most the fire trainers probably have a clip of this already! every track marshal and above must know about the oulton ginetta video by now...

[numbersix]

Originally Posted by NewYankee01

if there's ever a video to show us all at the training days in the new year, this is the one to show us all! i think it may be past the point of sending a link, most the fire trainers probably have a clip of this already! every track marshal and above must know about the oulton ginetta video by now...

I'm not sure for training purposes. The procedure over here is for the guy with the AFFF bottle to follow the guy with powder bottle as a cool down procedure, not first line of attack. But this must not distract from a job well done.

[Oscar114]

Well done everyone involved. Unlikely to be the car which caused the ignition as it started at the other end of the fuel slick.

I hope everyone is ok and that the after effects of the powder aren't too bad for all concerned.

[wolfhound]

The comentators suggested it may have started from exhaust sparks from passing cars as they come out on the left hand side.

Well done to the two marshals who appear in the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qEam...eature=related

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by numbersix

I'm not sure for training purposes. The procedure over here is for the guy with the AFFF bottle to follow the guy with powder bottle as a cool down procedure, not first line of attack. But this must not distract from a job well done.

Same theory down here but when you're only two up you use what you've got at the time.

I could sit here and pick fault with a lot of what was done but in the heat of battle (pun intended) and most of us knowing what it's like they did well to knock it down so quickly compared to other recent efforts we've discussed on here.

[TWRv12]

Originally Posted by PVDA

Same theory down here but when you're only two up you use what you've got at the time.

I could sit here and pick fault with a lot of what was done but in the heat of battle (pun intended) and most of us knowing what it's like they did well to knock it down so quickly compared to other recent efforts we've discussed on here.

Ripper job (is probably the correct down under expression?)

Also good to see V8SC have taken a step foward with the CoF fuel tank design. Interesting to see if FIA/WTCC/BTCC do something similar.

[DAVID PATERSON]

Originally Posted by m1fcf

That's possible, another alternative could be the now loose hot parts that have been dropped off the car after the impact? Something suggests to me that if it was a spark, it might have caught up with the car sooner, but a hot part sitting in a puddle might have taken a bit longer to reach ignition point?

Either way, expertly done by the marshals on scene!!

I'm thinking the same thing. Many parts were torn off the car in the impact and some of them would be hot, as the fuel ran down the hill it may have reached a piece of broken brake rotor or pad or........

As a competitor, not a marshall, I'd like to send a big thumbs up to the firies on the scene who did such a great job. Very well done guys!

[numbersix]

Originally Posted by PVDA

... I could sit here and pick fault with a lot of what was done but in the heat of battle (pun intended) and most of us knowing what it's like they did well to knock it down so quickly compared to other recent efforts we've discussed on here.

Now then ... read my post carefully; you know I wasn't nitpicking the incident, I was commenting on the idea that it might be used for training ...

[AMP Marshal]

I didn't last the night, here on the east coast of Canada to see that incident, but I viewed the clip, and I can see with complete confidence that the work at that scene was handled with the best of abilities, given the situation, safety car, circulating traffic, rolling, moving flames, various car parts. It was spectacularly managed and dealt with by the people involved. My hat's off to them.

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by numbersix

Now then ... read my post carefully; you know I wasn't nitpicking the incident, I was commenting on the idea that it might be used for training ...

I wasn't having a go at you or anyone else, I was simply commenting on the fact that in hindsight somethings could've been done better but we've all been up to our ears in a big incident and you don't have time to second guess like we can a week after the event.

The biggest thing would be the driver involved remembering to pump up the brake pressures after a pad change and then this would never have happened

[Burnsie]

Forgive the late reply to this, but I haven't been on Ten Tenths for quite a while. The rapid response of the marshals during this incident at Bathurst has already been praised - and rightly so - but it was also very well handled by the men and women inside Race Control.

I was watching the race live, but also had the audio from Race Control in the background (call me what you will!) and have merged this audio with the TV pictures...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5AZMeOm_SU

PB.