Paul
I carried out some research on Australian BUS and COACH accidents
between 1970 and 1993. There were a total of 223 reported "bus
accidents" during this period. See
http://www4.tpg.com.au/users/mpaine/bus_acc.html for more details.
Below is a summary of cases involving fire. Although this is not your
specific question it might be useful. Note that a "common" cause of a
heavy vehicle fire is a head-on crash with a car that wedges under the
front of the truck/bus and catches fire. One possible countermeasure is
a front under-run device [that absorbs some of the crash energy - bull
bars don't seem to help - oops, here goes another debate :)].
regards
Michael Paine
"In eight of the press clipping cases the bus caught fire. These cases
accounted for ten fatalities and 25 serious injuries, although one case
involved all ten fatalities and four serious injuries.
Three of the cases involved mini-buses. Apparently all three had petrol
engines. In case 89 the mini-bus hit a tree then caught fire. In cases
XX and XX mini-buses caught fire while they were travelling along the
road.
In cases XX and XX buses collided head-on with another vehicle which
caught fire. In each case the fire engulfed the bus and the occupants
had to escape via the rear window (emergency exit).
Case XX had the potential to be a very severe crash. A coach was pushed
off a mountain road by a following coach, which experienced brake
failure. The coach rolled several times down an embankment. It burst
into flames after the occupants had escaped. 16 occupants received
serious injuries in this crash.
Case XX did not involve fire but, again, had the potential to be a very
severe crash. A petrol tanker ran into the rear of a bus carrying school
children.
The number of crashes involving fire is too small to draw conclusions
but the cases do suggest petrol-engined mini-buses are
over-represented."
Paul Nordengen wrote:
>
> A colleague of mine, Cairns Bain, is doing some research on the above.
> If you have any information that could be of assistance, please reply to
> me or directly to him. His E-mail address and further details of the
> query are given below.
>
> Thanks
> Paul Nordengen
> CSIR Transportek
> South Africa
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Hi Paul
>
> I wonder if you could assist me in some data on fires and temperatures
> that
> may occur in a road transport accident. We are involved in risk
> studies
> associated with transport of hazardous goods.
>
> What temperatures can occur in a road transport fire for the following
> cases:
>
> 1 average type fire - petrol
> - diesel
> - fuels as above together with tyre rubber;
>
> 2 as above but with fresh or strong wind causing (localized?)
> higher
> temperatures;
>
> 3 any risk of a magnesium alloy wheel starting to burn? Are
> there any
> specialist high % magnesium alloy wheels which could present a higher
> risk? Associated temperatures.
>
> Any data sources and references will be most welcome. Furthermore any
> local
> or international statistics on incidence of severe transport fires will
> be
> appreciated.
>
> Kind regards
>
> Cairns A R Bain
>
> NECSA
> Phone +27 12 305 3365
> Fax +27 12 305 3484
> e-mail [log in to unmask]
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