Driving down the street with the setting sun at his back,
Bob Cummins navigated around parked cars and fire hydrants to find the right
place to park. It just wasn’t something that was easy to do – finding a vacant
spot – on his narrow, winding suburban street. Wedged between two business
districts, Bob’s block was frequently filled with cars from outside the area,
taking away from the already limited on street parking. While he knew he could
simply pull into his own driveway and park, he also knew that he’d have to move
vehicles around later when his wife, Susan, returned home with the kids.
Glancing out of his right mirror he noticed it and slammed
on his breaks. A car pulled out of a spot down the street behind him and its
driver pulled into a nearby driveway and exited the car. Bob slowly backed up
halfway down the block and slipped his Volvo XC90 into the empty spot. A little
tight, he thought, as he left just enough room between the driveway in front of
him and the car behind him for his SUV. Within moments Bob left the comfort of
his Volvo and stepped inside the foyer of his center hall colonial.
Less than ten minutes later the sounds of sirens filled the
neighborhood. At first, Bob did not give it much thought, but as the sirens
drew closer he decided to step outside to investigate. To his utter horror, a
car just two houses down from his home was engulfed in flames. Within moments
his worst fears were confirmed: his new Volvo XC90 was on fire! Minutes later
the fire was extinguished but Bob's SUV was destroyed.
An important part of your vehicle’s emission system is the
catalytic converter. It is tasked with reducing harmful emissions that pollute
the atmosphere and it has been a part of nearly every passenger vehicle built
since the mid 1970s. Unfortunately, the catalytic converter can also run very
hot and, at the same time, spark ignition of anything that it comes into
contact with. In Bob’s case, it was his 2005 Volvo that was parked directly
over a small leaf pile that started the fire that destroyed his XC90.
When parking your vehicle, take care to make sure that no
debris is on the ground directly underneath your car. Even a small pile of
dried out leaves can be just enough fodder for a fire. In the case of a high
profile vehicle, such as the XC90, the clearance between the bottom of your
vehicle and the ground is higher, meaning you many not notice anything
underneath when backing into an empty parking space.
Hundreds of vehicle fires every year are attributed to
motorists who park their cars over leaves; unfortunately this practice almost
always results in the total loss of the vehicle due to excessive fire damage.
Play it safe when parking your car, Truck, van, or SUV by examining the area underneath it
to make sure that is completely free of all debris.
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