Oulton Park Ginetta Fire

[MA61]

Great day at Oulton Park today (apart from the snow and biting wind!!). Unfortunately the number 40 Ginetta suffered a fire after an off at Lodge corner. The Marshals did a great job with the extinguishers but the fire had truly taken hold. I managed to get a few shots of the fire as it unfolded.

[2fast748]

Not sure about the off at Lodge but it came past us (between Clay Hill and Druids) and there were flames licking out of the vent behind the union jack, looked like it was taking hold then.

[Marc W]

It definitely pulled off because it was on fire rather than being on fire because it went off! I have a whole sequence of shots of the whole thing including the driver bailing out. I'll hopefully have them online later today.

[Mutley]

As I understand it, and having seen a video posted elsewhere, it looks to me that the electrics, and therefore the fuel pump, were not isolated when the driver bailed, I wasn't there so my apologies if i'm wrong, but from reports the driver stopped the car close to a marshals post and legged it (smart move).

Fuel then kept getting pumped onto the fire. Once it takes hold like that it is very hard to stop the fire with normal bottles, all you can do is try and stem it from getting worse until a larger and more powerful extinguisher arrives.

The marshals did a good job trying to keep it under control

[Marc W]

I watched the entire thing from when the car pulled up and I'd say that's a pretty accurate description. It was the second car of the day to do it as the other G55 combusted in race one. I will get my photos up later.

[Ahonen]

Mutley said:

As I understand it, and having seen a video posted elsewhere, it looks to me that the electrics, and therefore the fuel pump, were not isolated when the driver bailed, I wasn't there so my apologies if i'm wrong, but from reports the driver stopped the car close to a marshals post and legged it (smart move).

Fuel then kept getting pumped onto the fire. Once it takes hold like that it is very hard to stop the fire with normal bottles, all you can do is try and stem it from getting worse until a larger and more powerful extinguisher arrives.

The marshals did a good job trying to keep it under control

Yep, that sums it up pretty well. The headlights are on throughout the fire too, which gives the game away.

[Marc W]

Here's the shots.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19193662@N00/sets/721...

In the shots at the end showing the burnt out car, the wheels have been changed to enable the car to be moved.

[jimed]

The TV commentary (would they know or was commentary added later?) said that part of the exhaust had come off which meant the exhaust was directed very close to the bodywork setting the fibreglass on fire. Could be true but you never know - it was certainly well in control.
The TV showed both races and I think there was a fire in another Ginetta in race 1 which was not as quick getting hold but fire extinguishers seemed slow to arrive for that so maybe not at all the marshalls posts?? The fire this post refers to was in race 2 I think (?)
Jim

[Mutley]

jimed said:

The TV commentary (would they know or was commentary added later?) said that part of the exhaust had come off which meant the exhaust was directed very close to the bodywork setting the fibreglass on fire. Could be true but you never know - it was certainly well in control.
The TV showed both races and I think there was a fire in another Ginetta in race 1 which was not as quick getting hold but fire extinguishers seemed slow to arrive for that so maybe not at all the marshalls posts?? The fire this post refers to was in race 2 I think (?)
Jim

Jim, as I recall, unless it's a live broadcast the commentary is added after editing, so gather all the facts and use it while commentating to the edited highlights

[SirTK]

How sad. I suffered a total loss of a G4 by fire back in 1966.