Clean up fire extinguisher residue from car paint and interior surfaces

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freddie46

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I received a call from a State Farm agent who wants me to look at a '65 vette that was covered in liquid from a fire extinguisher. The engine caught fire and the car owner put the fire out with 2 fire extinguishers. It's a convertible and the top was down. The paint was not damaged. I haven't seen the car yet but was wondering if anyone has dealt with cleaning this type of residue off car paint and interior surfaces. Sorry I don't have any pics yet. Will provide at a later date.

Feed back please

Thanks in advance, Fred from Fred's Mobile Auto Spa, Bluemont, VA. Fred's Mobile Auto Spa - Home.
 
You definitely need to find out what type/class of extinguishers were used.
Some of the "dry chemicals" are very corrosive and abrasive...
And can fill-up every crack and crevice--- let alone the damage they'll do to electrical/electronic systems.

Are you trained in fire remediation of vehicles?
The reasons for being so trained can be, but not limited to:
-Exposure to the dry chemicals used to fight the fire
-Exposure to the "wetting" of these dry chemicals, and their morphing, if any
-Proper: Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
-Many other factors

Another thing to be aware of:
Find out if there is any pending litigation...
You don't want to become a party to any court actions.

Bob
 
Bob, thank your response. I wasn't aware of any of those concerns and will definitely get more information. I'm certainly not trained. I'm just an excellent detailer:xyxthumbs: lol

What about yourself? Are you trained in this?

Fred
 
freddie46 said:
Bob, thank your response. I wasn't aware of any of those concerns and will definitely get more information. I'm certainly not trained. I'm just an excellent detailer:xyxthumbs: lol

What about yourself? Are you trained in this?

Fred
Click to expand...
A few years back I had the training and certifications for this and many other HazMat-type arenas...(Enjoyed it too!).

Not any more.
Yet: I'm still happy.

Bob
 
Being someone who serviced fire extinguishers in the past, I can tell you that your in for some work. The biggest key is do not use any heat until your sure you've removed everything. The powder inside an extinguisher is designed to melt and bond to whatever is on fire which prevents oxygen from making combustion. A vacuum, a soft brush, and a lot of patience will be your best friend. Also, be sure to get under the dash, behind door panels, etc... I'm guessing he used a typical ABC fire extinguisher, the chemicals in this can be corrosive towards metal. In a classic car like that, you want to be sure to remove all of it to prevent any rusting.

Best of luck to you, please feel free to contact me with any questions!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks Jwollam. I may take you up on your offer.
 
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It depends on what type of extinguisher was utilized. ABC extingushers contain ammonium phosphate, which will form phosphoric acid upon contact with water. Problem is, if the powder is left, it will draw moisture from the air making more concentrated phosphoric acid.

BC extinguishers normally contain potassium or sodium bicarbonate in a mixture. They aren't corrosive and should give no problems washing away.

I have had dry chemical systems (bicarbonate) discharge over some serious chemical reactions I was working on. I cleaned everything up with water and there was no trace of any left anywhere. There was no paint or metal damage noted through contact of the dry chemical. I did not do this on a six figure 65 Vette though.

Good luck. Engine fires are pretty scary stuff. I hope I'm never faced with that on any of my cars. I do ride with extinguishers though, just in case.
 
One bit of advice I found on a boat engine fire. Buy a cheap shop vac that is disposable. As the comments above state, this stuff eats everything. Wear PPE, Face mask, eye protection, and ear plugs. If a cloud builds up - move away and let it settle. As for the shop vac, you will not get this out of the filter for future uses. And if it gets into the motor as they say the motor is hot, it will do a job on the motor.
 
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