Burned to a crisp

In June 2016 my garage burned and my 99 Tacoma and my wife's 04 4runner V8 were in it. I worked through the stages of grief that day, I joked with friends that when the fire was out I was going to drive it out (like on top gear). I was wrong, there was nowhere to even put the key. We were home when it happened and we all got out safely. A 6 month old Belkin power strip started it. I wanted to post this earlier but I have been busy fighting the Ins. co. and trying to keep the contractors in line. I got almost 10k for my 99 and bought a 06 for 12k.

 

Holy smokes.... Get it? Holy SMOKE! Bad joke. Sorry to hear that beauty of a taco and runner got burned up. And your garage, of course.

 

That's sucks man. Sorry to hear that happened. Wife has a '05 runner with the v8 and it would be hard for her to give it up since she can't get another new one like it. I used to have a '00 1st gen just like your's too. Looks like you got a good deal from the ins though.

 

Wow that sucks! Sorry you had to go through that!

 

Oh my gosh what a disservice to that '99 replacing the ole girl with a second gen, how awful!

In all.seriousness though thats some shitty shit my friend! Thats gotta hurt. I suppose it was good you wefe home though? Prolly saved the house id imagine?

Any idea why the power strip caused it? It was just one of those multi port outlet strips right?

 

Sorry to hear about your garage and vehicles. I assume it didn't spread to your house? At least you get a newer truck!

 

Damn that's some fire. Glad y'all are alright though.

 

Thats a bummer, dealing with insurance is almost always a pain. Glad you and your family got out safe and for your new truck!

 

Damn, my folks just went through a house fire. They were in a hotel for 3 months. Glad you and the family are OK.

 

That really sucks, sorry about the loss and glad you got a replacement truck.

 

Glad you made it out ok

Sorry to see you leaving the best gen for the second gen

 

Glad to hear things are starting to be put back together for you guys and everyone was ok. What happened with the power strip for it to be the cause?

 

I woulda tried filing a lawsuit against belkin. But thats just me.

 

Being burned was the only way that 1st gen would have died. I like the power of the 4.0 in the new one, but not the 4x4 shifter knob on the dash. They sent out a fire investigator that was a fireman in the 67' Detroit riots and he is in his 70's now. He said he has investigated more arson fires than anyone else in the world. He dug through the ash and found the melted lump that was the power strip and they looked at it under a microscope and said it caused it. The thing is for most it's not if you have a power strip in your house it's how many. The garage was an addition so the old roof of the house blocked the fire from spreading to the house, but smoke and water damage is extensive.

 

The Ins. co. will sue Belkin and Amazon(for selling it) and if they win I get my deductable back.

Some type of defect caused the power strip to catch on fire. They were asking me about battery powered tools that may have been plugged in, lithium batteries catch fire regularly.

 

wow, that was a major fire-glad you and your family made it out safely. Was that photo of your gen 1 recent? If so it was in really good condition.

 

Dang man, I am glad you and your family are safe. Everything else can be replaced

 

Glad nobody was hurt. House fires are fast and violent.

Notice in the second to last picture, it appears that the Toyota is sagging in the middle. I supposed a house fire could get hot enough to allow the frame to sag? In the "before" picture, that truck was straight.

Edit: I just looked at the wheels on the 4Runner. It was definitely hot enough to soften a steel frame on a 1st gen.

 

My lord

 

Sorry to hear about the loss of your vechicals and garage, but glad to hear you and the family were safe.