OMFG!!!! (Re: Sad News)

[area53 at validpath.com (Jeff Toomasson)]

I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach...

Craig - I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am that this happened. I'm just 
glad you weren't hurt - even though no one could have forseen this turn of 
events, I don't think I would ever be able to let go of the notion that I 
could have done something more to prevent this....

I'm going to you contact off-list as well (I can't seem to find either of your 
phone #'s).

Hope to talk to you soon - Jeff

> As some of you know, Jeff Toomasoon had sold his 500th California Edition 
> Scirocco to me. I owned the car since Thursday, April 15.
> 
> On Thursday, April 22, this magnificent Scirocco left us. When driving on 
> Hwy1 from class to home, I smelled smoke in the car. I glanced in the back 
> and saw a small amount of smoke coming through the back seat and trunk
> area.  I immediately turned off the car and all components I could find.
> When I  came to a stop, a puff of brown smoke drifted pass my door. I got
> out and  started inspecting the back. I was horrified to discover that the
> rear  fender was on FIRE. I frantically tried to kick the panel off of the
> car  (destroying my shoe in the process). When I could not put out the
> fire, I  started waving for help with one hand and grabbed for my cell
> phone with the  other. I could also see that the fire had spread to the
> entire back half of  the car and was engulfing the gas tank. Knowing that
> there was not a damn  thing I could do, I ran to safety. By this time, I
> could hear the tires  blowing and saw the windows shatter one by one. Two
> people had stopped and  were on the phone with 911 operators.
> Unfortunately, it took less than a  minuet for the car to be completely
> engulfed in flames.
> 
> What also saddens me is I will never know what caused the fire. The most 
> probable cause that I could come up with is the car is 21 years old (next 
> month). I am hypothesizing that the fuel lines leading from the transfer 
> pump to the main fuel pump had hardened, became brittle, cracked, and 
> started leaking fuel. This fuel collected, ran across the tank and other 
> body parts. The gas or fumes were probably ignited by the exhaust. Not even
>  Moster Garage or Junkyard Wars could destroy the car this well. About the 
> only thing I would be able to salvage is the left rear turn signal housing.
>  No joke, that was the only part not damaged.
> 
> On a more positive note, no one was hurt and I very thankful for that. We 
> can only hope and prey the remaining Sciroccos do not meet a similar fate.
> 
> -Craig
> "Nightmare" '88 16v (PG-T Proj.)
> "Calypso" '91 Golf GL (Daily Driver)
> 
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