Kenari on Fire

Bird on fire! It looks as if the Kenari hit the car in front. As for what happened later, you can guess from these photos that were taken by Kakak from the Waja Performance Club.

Something similiar had actually happened to my mother before, but it was not because of an accident. Her 20 year old Nissan Sunny’s wiring had short circuited and the sparks caused the dashboard area to catch fire. Luckily she got out of the car and asked one of the shops along the road for a fire extinguisher.

The car spent two months in the workshop. That was a hard time for my family because it was our only car at that time. Everyone had to take bus or walk.

Look at this photo properly. The brake lights of the Kenari was on. The accident must have caused some wires to short circuit together. With the electricity current from the battery still flowing, it caused sparks and the engine bay caught fire.

The person who took the photographs calls herself Kakak. She explains how she got the photos:

It happened in Bandar Sungai Long at around 4.20am! The crash woke me up!! Darn!!

Then as usual they were bickering as to who was at fault, and suddenly, everybody ran away, and a lady started screaming. That’s when I noticed smoke spewing out from the bonnet. And that’s when I grabbed my camera. And then, slivers of flames licked out from under the slightly crumpled bonnet. And it got bigger and bigger. You’re right in your observation that the head lights, rear lights of the Kenari were were all on. I wonder though whether that could be the cause of it. Electrical short circuit kah?? Dunno. I’m no expert.

But it was scary, really I don’t blame those people for running for cover.

In this WPC forum, I posted a question that even if we have a fire extinguisher in the car, will we be brave enough to pry open the bonnet to attempt to put the fire out before it becomes uncontrollable??

Would it be wiser to just save yourself and claim insurance later (if can claim la).

In all it took seven minutes for the fire to engulf all.

The fuel tank ignited, the fire grew brighter and higher, the petrol cap blew off (I found that out later after the fire had died down that the cap was missing), but there were no loud explosions. Only muffled thuds. Thank God…its never like in the movies…those are all fake..special effects to ensure box office sell outs..hehe

Fire engine (bomba & penyelamat) came but it was too late, although within the hour. Nothing could be saved. They sprayed water into the car just the same, and put out the fire which was still burning at the tyres. Then everybody came out from their hiding holes.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • michael lee on Sep 20, 2005 at 2:36 am

    … for an electrical fire, normally well installed fuses would have blown – so your battery will already have been isolated. A few squirts will normally put out the fire – and just in case, disconnect your battery and scream for HELP.

    Sometimes, fire can start from spilt fuel onto your hot exhaust – again, a few squirts can help. In cases following an accident, the fire is normally quite big before you discover it, and your brain is not working 100%. Think carefully before you attempt any heroics… and, it can happen to ANY car. Hope to have been of help – has happened to me before and I sympathise with the owner.

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  • michael lee on Sep 20, 2005 at 2:39 am

    Sorry Paul – clicked just as you were deleting …. please keep on doing the same.Thanks.

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  • Kakak on Sep 20, 2005 at 3:01 am

    Quotes Paul Tan:

    "This post has been deleted on request from the photo’s owner. I assumed she wanted me to delete them as my earlier offer to credit the photographer was rejected, and instead I am called a thief".

    Just to clear the air, I received no offer of credit to the images, prior to posting my comments. But this is your blog, you may retain or delete whatever you want.

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  • I put the notice up at the top of my post. You must have skipped it and went straight to the comment box. I also requested one of your friends who goes by the handle "Caranthir" to forward the request to you. You must have not gotten it.

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  • phillys on Sep 20, 2005 at 3:17 am

    Well, there is definitely no reason for 'Kakak' to call you names and label you a thief without you giving a proper explaination first.

    By the way, back to the discussion of toasted Kenaris. Uhm… what are the chances of it happening to MY Kenari?

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  • Kakak on Sep 20, 2005 at 3:19 am

    Gotten it too late :)

    Cheers.

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  • foxtrotecho on Sep 20, 2005 at 3:19 am

    This is the part where I go:

    "LOL ! n00bs."

    Must be hardwork taking photos of a burning car.

    A little good-will would have gone a long way here.

    Good luck with life whoever you were, Kakak.

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  • Kakak on Sep 20, 2005 at 3:22 am

    Well, phillys, if you're in my shoes, under similar circusmstaces, you would have done the same ;)

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  • Kakak on Sep 20, 2005 at 3:24 am

    In all, it took seven minutes from the sighting of smoke under the hood to the full blaze. Just seven minutes.

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  • Kakak on Sep 20, 2005 at 3:29 am

    Thank you for your kind thoughts foxtrotecho, whoever you are.. :P

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  • Kakak, I replied your PM in WPC.

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  • dear Kakak,

    just allow Paul to use the pictures and we get our original blog comments back..pleaseee Kakak..

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  • if it took 7 minutes, then with fire extinguisher definitely can save the car, what do you think Paul? Also, what do you think Kakak?

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  • geejun on Sep 20, 2005 at 4:35 am

    Hi,

    if the pic is at k20c, can u pls send me the link kakak??

    thanx really interested

    regards

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  • Kakak on Sep 20, 2005 at 6:15 am

    You got it Jake ;)

    I replied Paul's PM in WPC..hehe..;)

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  • Petrolsaver on Sep 20, 2005 at 7:48 am

    Huh.. Can You Tell Me The Plate Numbers? I Wanna Try Magnum 4d Larh… :p…

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  • narrowband on Sep 20, 2005 at 9:18 am

    holy sweet mother of all cows…………. how old was the car? can tell by the reg num (the alphas)?

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  • hokkien lang. on Sep 20, 2005 at 9:28 am

    well that KENARI are evolving to FIRE-BIRD……

    like in pohkeh mon anime…

    mua ha.. ha.. ha…

    oh my goddess some 1 must be very mad at me now…

    and petrol saver you want a 4D i give you 4201….

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  • AlexC on Sep 20, 2005 at 3:24 pm

    Does this happen to local cars only or what… the last time gen2 rolled out it caught fire as well… safety issue here… can someone put up some information on what is the world minimum safety regulation for cars??? how much truth is there is the claim of our local cars meet the safety requirement??? partly met or whole???

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  • PetrolUpAgain on Sep 20, 2005 at 4:15 pm

    Fuyooo…very bahaya dangerrr

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  • Marmitecrab on Sep 20, 2005 at 7:20 pm

    I've seen burnt BMW's before. On the side of the road on LDP (near Eastin) as well as in the papers. Anyone remembers the recent Ferrari F355 burnt to a crisp picture in the newspapers. Claimed a couple of lives too, I think.

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  • ijas_Eng.Camp on Sep 20, 2005 at 7:23 pm

    Oh God..My wife just have a Kenari…I suggest all the car must have a fire extinguisher!! a little one…just like my teacher Ford Escort..

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  • rafreez on Sep 20, 2005 at 7:32 pm

    I've been in the same situation b4 with my dad feroza n belive me u dont want to put off the fire…y? 1st dont get near cos a few explosion even when the fire doesnt got to the fuel tank yet, 2nd like my dad Feroza, the fire was put out with few fire extinguisher from shop near by (thanks to the shop owner) and only 1/2 got burn but everyone tells me why dont let the fire burn everything all cos we can claim total loss so can get a replacement. after a few month the Feroza was repaired, WTF!! everything looks like coming from a junk yard…I've regret my whole life for not stopping the shop owner cos now I've inherited the Feroza….waaaaaaa

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  • FiveElements on Sep 20, 2005 at 9:30 pm

    Rafeez,

    Poor u….i'm totally against the policy by our insurance company. U insure for eg. RM50K they will never pay u up to the amount. When they fix ur car back, they will put in used stuff.

    Insurance is really ripping people off. Hope the government will regulate this, but seriously i dont think they give a damn.

    As compare to other countrys the insurance regulation in Malaysia sucks big time. RUBBISH!!

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  • Damn. saw a C-class on fire yrs back at Jln Genting Klang…

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  • zongtwi on Sep 21, 2005 at 12:33 am

    Haha…if this happened to a proton car, the response and comments will be full of hostility and hatred that can last for ages and ages. But since it is a P2 car, people talk about insurance, about world safety regulations (?!?!? WTF? No such thing mate!), about experiencing fires with other cars etc. Double standard, nice!

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  • suxx…if this happen to Proton..sure ur blog full with laugh and joy…good luck with ur so-good japanese wannabe P2…next time we'll se mawi burning eh…

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  • mitsu_galant_2000 on Sep 21, 2005 at 2:28 am

    aku ingat kereta terbakar nih dalam filem jer terjadi..

    tak sangka aku kenari kodi.. hahah :p

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  • sengat on Sep 21, 2005 at 6:20 am

    that is soo…true zongtwi. if proton cars involve, there will be mass condem and blasting here. as it is p2….asssociated with toyota, no body care. i am driving a kelisa and my kelisa suck. after buying a gen2, and test drive a savvy i regret buying a kelisa over savvy. i still remember seeing a burnt perodua. when i ask the owner what happened, the owner ( A girl working in a phote studio shop, just in front of the car) said burn just like that at parking with engine off. by looking at the car, the fire look like it start from the air cond section. how on earth a car could burn just by parking in the partking space with no accident and engine off. i wonder what happend. this happened in temerloh.

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  • weilun on Sep 21, 2005 at 9:28 am

    wah kenari damn kuat sia…..bang the sentra..sentra damage damn kau lat..haha…

    anyway ,must have cause by shortcurcuit maybe?

    no bashing ya……each car also can burn not proton only…

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  • hokkien lang. on Sep 21, 2005 at 11:11 am

    did any 1 notice that infront of that sports rim are melt?

    that fire are sure i hot!!!!!

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  • weilun on Sep 21, 2005 at 5:03 pm

    yep

    i notice it also and i think white rims are nice !

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  • Tawau on Sep 21, 2005 at 8:25 pm

    How bout MYVi & Savvy ….. Is it tough or same with Kenari….

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  • amouse on Sep 22, 2005 at 12:47 am

    last time my dad's volvo on fire too.. =P my whole dash burn up cos of the stupid radio wiring. Before that i fix cd player and a amp. Those accessories fella's really screw up things so bad. Lucky part is that my car is not with me, is with my mechanic. So he know what to do and he just unplug my batery and save the fire inside.. if without the mechanic, i think i just ran far far and let it burn.. So guys, dont simply let those uneducated without knowledge accessories fella do your car. spend abit more and just get a "Pro" to do it and make sure they know how to fix something which they already fix be4.

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  • weilun on Sep 24, 2005 at 5:20 am

    the moral of story

    dun trust the ah beng's at accessories shop

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  • wah.. kakak.. so fofular here..

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  • albagmane on Sep 29, 2005 at 8:11 pm

    hahaha! cool Kenari after being burnt! urban looking..

    two more roasted Kenari pls!

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  • andrew on Oct 17, 2005 at 4:54 am

    wat the… it happened right where i lived nearby!! and i dont even notice it!!! dang, i must be a dead log sleeper not to notice it…

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  • b@by pig on Oct 29, 2005 at 12:55 am

    fui…yoo…shock man…don u feel u like in jacky chan action movie…i had dis experience b4 too in my dad's car…volkswagen car…anyway just to tell MYVI is save..cos is part of TOYOTA too… so is save driving with it..

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  • terenceloh on Nov 20, 2005 at 2:39 am

    came across this site today, I was the loss adjuster for the Kenari. You guys love damaged vehicle photos? I have millions of them.

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  • 4AG 20 Valve on Nov 23, 2005 at 8:13 am

    yeah … post them in … the one with no bodies, of course :)

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  • Timmy Boy on Nov 25, 2005 at 5:43 am

    OMG…lucky i don't own a kenari..nvm atleast the steering wheel still has it's shape! =)

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  • Serious Guy on Dec 08, 2005 at 5:16 pm

    Guys!! Guess what!! This morning I saw a car in Jln Tun Razak caught fire. At first I didn't know what happened as I pass by the burnt car then only I realised what causes the massive jam. The best part of all is that car is PROTON GEN-2!! It's a brand new lady owner car. How can this happen at all. I've heard of GEN-2 caught fire before but never thought I would see this happen with my own eyes. No wonder they can give 2 years warranty. I guess they want their new buyers to test them out firs……..LOL. I did plan to get them in near future but now it's a big NO! for me. I think I'll get a 2 or 3 years TOYOTA VIOS cheaper & classy rather than become a gunea pig for new un tested cars……….haha

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  • chris-racemove on Dec 10, 2005 at 1:50 am

    ah. that looks not so good,

    greetings from a move/kenari driver from germany
    www.racemove.de.vu

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  • metro20 (Member) on Apr 13, 2006 at 3:40 pm

    Baru jumpa site ini cos tengah cari info pasal Kenari. Plan of getting one…

    Anyway pasal kereta yang terbakar tersebut, sila ambil perhatian bahawa SEMUA jenis kereta tak kira mewah atau cokia akan mengalami nasib yang sama JIKA:

    1. Positive & Negative bateri ada contact, lebih2 lagi setelah berlaku perlanggaran, pasti bonet akan terkemek dan terkena bateri.

    2. Jangan duduk atas bonet depan jika kereta tu dah lama sikit dan bonet depan agak 'lembut', berkemungkinan kita akan duduk betul2 atas bahagian bateri dan bila bonet terkena bateri, kirim salam aje lah.

    3. Satu cara untuk mengelakkan perkara di atas berlaku adalah dengan melapik kepingan getah/rubber mat atas bateri atau memastikan pelapik penutup pada bahagian positive dan negative bateri ditutup dengan sempurna.

    Faktor2 di atas adalah sebab berlakunya kebakaran Kenari tersebut bukan pasal jenis kereta.

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  • Jackass on Jul 05, 2009 at 9:17 am

    WTF where the coprse…

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