Vehicle Fire Hazards
Bumper Pistons and Struts
Vehicles from the 1970s and 1980s (many are still on the road) feature energy-absorbing bumper pistons that if exposed to heat can explode and become... View MoreVehicle Fire Hazards
Bumper Pistons and Struts
Vehicles from the 1970s and 1980s (many are still on the road) feature energy-absorbing bumper pistons that if exposed to heat can explode and become projectiles. In a close call, a 1987 Volvo bumper piston exploded; a piece of the piston went through an arriving fire engine�s windshield, injuring the apparatus operator. Hood and trunk/hatch struts present the same danger if exposed to fire; they contain compressed gas at 1,500 pounds per square inch (psi). In a January 2005, Sacramento, California, incident, a superheated strut under the hood of a car on fire exploded. The one-inch cylinder exited the vehicle and passed through a firefighter�s leg before landing more than 50 feet away.
Steven Schnaudt
