C8AX Fire in Texas Queensland.

[Pete Solomon]

On Sunday my CA8X Blitz suffered a catastrophic engine failure while I was driving it. She spluttered a bit but kept running, smoke filled the cab and I opened the inspection cover to see what the problem was and a flame thrower came out! I was covered in burning fuel and was on fire!

Needless to say there were some expletives exchanged with my passenger, I dumped the old girl off the road into the scrub and we made a hasty exit - me still on fire. My passenger bravely returned to the cab to retrieve my pistols and 400 rounds of ammo (we were on the way to the shooting club) and then ran to help put me out.

I have some nasty burns to my hip and under arm and 1st degree burns to most of my left side. I am sans hair on that side as well - all very sore and uncomfortable but I will recover. The same, unfortunately can not be said for my Blitz - it started a scrub fire and has been completely destroyed.

My mechanic has examined the wreck and thinks the main fuel line nipple into the front of the carby actually blew the thread out and came loose - pouring fuel onto the exhaust manifold. The worst thing I could have done was open the hatch as we were traveling at about 35 mph and it forced burning fuel & flames through into the cab (I did'nt expect it you know!)

All in all a very sad day. I'm just happy to still be alive actually - it could have been a lot worse. I've never been on fire before and becoming a human candle is not recommended by me!

I've tried to attach a couple of photos. My passenger took a few on scene before th ambulance arrived and I went back out and got some the next day.

Cheers