brandyjacobo Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Any word on what caught on fire today?? Looked to be by the hills going towards North Pole!! Seemed like a non-life threatening weekend! Never saw flight for life or anything, just this fire! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
702sandman Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 It was a rzr 1000 fire ...burnt to the ground ...it had a gas can in the bed a spilled and caught on fire ...no one hurt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandyjacobo Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 Good to know that no one was hurt! 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAND~~SNAKE Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 How many times have we heard this story...RZR 1000 burns to the ground (had a gas can in the back).. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunefreak Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Glad everyone is ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sand chick Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 (edited) Any word on what caught on fire today?? Looked to be by the hills going towards North Pole!! Seemed like a non-life threatening weekend! Never saw flight for life or anything, just this fire! We did see flight for life heli come in twice. We saw the smoke from the fire as well... one of our friends was right behind the razor when it caught on fire... leave those gas cans out of the back!! No reason to even carry them at dumont (IMO) unless you are bringing gas to revive a vehicle out of gas, but don't carry them in the back!! Happy to hear everyone was ok! Edited November 3, 2014 by sand chick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monster Duner Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I heard someone say there was a factory defect with it. Not true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArticCatX Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Guys, you really should think before you speak as you are messing with people's safety. There have been almost a dozen 1000 fires, check the rzr forums. There is some major defect in the 1000. I am sure those of you who have one are in denial. But for safety reason you should verify before you say something you know nothing about. The fire started from the rzr fuel tank. The gas can in the back was still intact and only burned after a few minutes of the car melting down. This is from the first hand witnesses. So for those that are driving the 1000 be careful. Do you home work. There was 2 at Dumont last weekend. 3+ at Glamis in the last couple weeks. 1 back east. 1 at Apex and that was only after 15 minutes of searching the web. There are numerous videos and images on Google as well. Thankfully I could find no loss of life yet only burn victims. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunefreak Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Guys, you really should think before you speak as you are messing with people's safety. huh? So if it just a factory defect, why would posters on the internet be messing with people's safety? They're just posting what they know. Care to explain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIFFNAUB Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Guys, you really should think before you speak as you are messing with people's safety. There have been almost a dozen 1000 fires, check the rzr forums. There is some major defect in the 1000. I am sure those of you who have one are in denial. But for safety reason you should verify before you say something you know nothing about. The fire started from the rzr fuel tank. The gas can in the back was still intact and only burned after a few minutes of the car melting down. This is from the first hand witnesses. So for those that are driving the 1000 be careful. Do you home work. There was 2 at Dumont last weekend. 3+ at Glamis in the last couple weeks. 1 back east. 1 at Apex and that was only after 15 minutes of searching the web. There are numerous videos and images on Google as well. Thankfully I could find no loss of life yet only burn victims.First time I've heard about this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegas style Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 in all my travels and conversations with industry people. the only cause of 1k fires other then carrying fuel cans has been poor dealer prep (fuel line. pinched wiring) the 4 i have been around that burned all were carrying fuel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jd slow go Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 We were the first group on scene. The couple that was in the rzr passed us and dropped over a small whoop we were probably only 5 seconds behind them when it caught on fire. He was carrying a race style fuel can to his family that needed it at the north pole. I would say the fuel probably was at fault but who knows. I can say that they did get out extremely fast and they still had clothing that got burnt. If they would of had a 4 seater with passengers it definitely would of been a tragic situation. The rzr was completely on fire within 20 seconds. Hopefully we can all learn something from this situation. They just made a poor decisions with the fuel can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam @ GTP Off Road Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 one thing to keep in mind with these is that the fuel from a can will travel down. this goes basically right onto the header, and down into the skid plate. That fuel would pool and start a fire under the passengers. The fuel tank is also under the passenger and holds up to 8 gallons of fuel. That is plenty of fuel, in a plastic cell to burn. I have personally seen a RZR fuel tank leak at the sending unit area. There was talk that the starter stuck on this particular RZR, and that while the RZR was burning it was heard trying to start. I heard this from a person on scene. Was it the gas cans fault, I guess it's hard to say. It could have spilled some gas down, enough to start a fire, and remained intact after the fire started until the fire reached it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Rhino Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 (edited) Umm from buddies who were actually first on scene (riding RITE next to them when it happened ) said if from their opinion IT WASN'T the fuel can. The fire was no where near the fuel can until the Fire got to the fuel can. The video I saw said the same thing. Edited November 4, 2014 by White Rhino Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sand chick Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 huh? So if it just a factory defect, why would posters on the internet be messing with people's safety? They're just posting what they know. Care to explain? I just sent an email direct to Polaris, asking about if there is a defect or a recall as there have been several fires reported regarding the RZR 1000... lets see if they respond... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArticCatX Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 The investigation showed the fuel can was a newer cycle gear fuel can that had never leaked. The fuel can did not burn for 5-7 minutes until the fire in the middle and front of the rzr worked it's way back to the bed and then melts the bed first and then eventually the fuel can about 7 minutes after the Fire started. Proving the fact the fuel can was not the cause. Finally the fuel can melted and gas only came out slowly. Raw fuel needs a spark or flame to ignite not just the heat from a manifold or even the heat from the inferno in this case did not ignite the gas can until it melted. If you have ever spilled on a hot quad, motorcycle, sand cars, Can am, artic cat, rzr 800 or 900, pilots, etc you have experienced the heat of the engine or exhaust will not ignite the fuel. There was even one 1000 that caught fire idling in the owners front yard. The only other fire I have found other than a 1000 was an 800, but they had added a turbo, so it is was not a typical. So those with 1000s, make sure whoever is driving is old enough and responsible enough to know how to get out incase of a fire. As it is a REAL possibility. Though a very small percentage. To be fair of the dozen or so cases it seems most happen within the first 50-150 miles, so if you are well past that you may not have the defect. But it would be cheap insurance to have your rzr fuel system and electrical system checked out at the dealership to be safe!! Another prudent step would be to add a 4 point harness as the stock platistic harness could melt preventing it operation. The fuel cell is under the seat which is where all the fires have started. The plastic body and seat back will shield you from the fire but only for a few moments as once the plastic catches fire it burns rapidly. Thankfully no fatalities or severe burns yet...but one is one too many. The biggest problem is once the cars burn to the ground there is no way to tell what exactly causes the fire. Some have noticed a backfire, a pop or what some have said was an electrical arking. Which would seem to make sense as it would be the spark that could set of the fire in other reports of pinched or leaking fuel lines and cracked seems on a fuel cells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19th_AT Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Any update on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandawg Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 (edited) In reference to the comment: "Thankfully no fatalities or severe burns yet" There was a burn victim at St. Anthony Dunes this year and the victim was sent to the Burn Unit in Salt Lake City and has a recovery time of about 3 months. Several people on this forum were there and know of this incident. Edited November 19, 2014 by sandawg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineurbiz Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 We were there, any updates on his condition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegas style Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 my group was the first responders and helped load him up in the life flight. he was as badly burned as i have ever seen anybody that was still walking and talking 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandawg Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Thanks Steve. I'm trying to find the article and the donation page that was started when he was injured so badly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUn2it Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 If the gas can had leaked there would have been a trail of fuel on the can, whatever it is sitting on and on down so the fire would have followed it quickly. I've seen lots of vehicle fire at the Lucas Oil short course races, some trans fluid and some fuel and it happens when they roll or when they are rolled back upright, the liquid hits the exhaust, vaporizes and ignites. No spark needed when the exhaust is above 530-555 deg F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUn2it Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Pete, nobody answered you directly, I think he meant if the rumor circulated it was the gas can... the Razor owners that would otherwise be made aware might not investigate further on their own Razor and dismiss it as a fuel can issue. That was my guess anyways. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyvw Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 as far as hearing the starter working while it was burning, that could have been caused by wiring(starter and power wires) melting together within SECONDS of the fire starting. hearing a starter cranking over on a burning engine should in no way be a SURE thing that there was a "bad starter"....but it DOES warrant investigation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liljohn Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 I am actually a close friend to the passenger and the dad of the driver of the RZR 1000 that burned at Dumont. The RZR was only two weeks old, from the driver stated that there was a whining noise coming from the engine, I am assuming the started stayed engaged heated up and started the fire. It is correct that the fuel can did not ignite until most of the RZR was on fire. The passenger had her jacket burned and the driver has the back of his head hair singed but they were both ok. So to confirm once again it was not the gas tank it was a defect with Polaris. I had this happen on my trans am years back. I installed long tube headers and on an long road trip my starter wires had melted. The next time I turned the car on the starter stayed engaged and dang near burned my car to the ground Luckily it was just a lot of smoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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