Rescuing someone from a burning vehicle

[Glassman]

RizzoTheRat said:

The metal ends of the headrest lets are supposedly ok for this, but obviously I've never tried it, but a proper tool's going to be better. I've seen police shows using a spring loaded center punch to do it, and they hit it in the corner the same as the worked did on that clip so I'm guessing tat's the best place to hit it.

The headrests thing is a myth spread by social media.

The edge of any window is the weakest part.

Dotting a toughened glass window will shatter it. Popping it from the corner also ensures your hand doesn't follow through.

[kambites]

119 said:

Rebew said:

I'm surprised how much flex that guard rail had, I thought they would be pretty solid but the rescuers pulling on the doors made it move a fair bit.

I think it had been pulled apart from the impact.

It certainly looked like the uprights were broken; they are designed specifically to snap and then allow the main rail to flex to absorb an impact, much like a crumple zone.

Regarding the clip... couldn't they go around and open the passenger doors? Maybe the fire was in the way.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 24th April 09:02

[Tam_Mullen]

119 said:

If they pulled on the top of the door frame the glass would have shattered.

Thats the first thing I thought, but I'm sitting in an office with no pressure.

RE: the headrest legs to smash a window, I tried that a few years ago with a Volvo S80 and a Ford Ka, I didnt manage with either.

[MBVitoria]

Wow, hats off to them!

I keep one these on every set of car keys, hoping to never have to use it

https://resqme.com/

Cheaper versions available but they're less than a tenner anyway so not much in it.

[RizzoTheRat]

Glassman said:

The headrests thing is a myth spread by social media.

Tam_Mullen said:

RE: the headrest legs to smash a window, I tried that a few years ago with a Volvo S80 and a Ford Ka, I didnt manage with either.

Interesting, I've seen it a few times and now I'm guilty of perpetuating the myth.

Bending the top of the door sounds like the best option unless you have a special tool then.

[768]

Evanivitch said:

Right, that's me finally ordering the belt cutter and glass breaking tool.

I bought one of those for each of our cars years back. The wife keeps moving them around the cabin, I'd never find it in an emergency.

[classicaholic]

I pulled a girl out of a burning car once that was upside down, the hardest thing was getting the seat belt off as it was under load, I now carry a leatherman that would make short work of that.

You don't think about the risk when you are doing it but it does make you think after when its fully burning! I would still not hesitate to do it again if needed.

[Petrus1983]

Without doubt very brave people. Thanks for sharing OP as it's got me round to ordering a window breaker - which fwiw feel should come as standard in all new cars.

[HTP99]

kambites said:

It certainly looked like the uprights were broken; they are designed specifically to snap and then allow the main rail to flex to absorb an impact, much like a crumple zone.

Regarding the clip... couldn't they go around and open the passenger doors? Maybe the fire was in the way.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 24th April 09:02

To me, it looked like it was wedged against a verge.

[Evanivitch]

768 said:

Evanivitch said:

Right, that's me finally ordering the belt cutter and glass breaking tool.

I bought one of those for each of our cars years back. The wife keeps moving them around the cabin, I'd never find it in an emergency.

Currently unsure if it'll be cable tied or 3M pad in position.

[Glassman]

RizzoTheRat said:

Glassman said:

The headrests thing is a myth spread by social media.

Tam_Mullen said:

RE: the headrest legs to smash a window, I tried that a few years ago with a Volvo S80 and a Ford Ka, I didnt manage with either.

Interesting, I've seen it a few times and now I'm guilty of perpetuating the myth.

Bending the top of the door sounds like the best option unless you have a special tool then.

Some cars have laminated door windows. It used to be luxury/executive cars but many electric cars have them too (used mainly for road noise reduction).

You won't break a laminated window so easily. Even if you do break the glass, the PVB layer between the two layers of glass will keep it all together, and hitting it repeatedly will just take too long. You can cut the interlayer which will get you into - or out of - the vehicle but you're then dealing with sharp glass edges that will cut through skin, muscle, tendons etc.

[TGCOTF-dewey]

I bought a few of the resqme tools last night based on this thread, so thanks OP.

Been meaning to after finding a girl trapped in a rolled car in a forest a few years ago. It did strike me that if it had burst into flames, she'd have been fked.