On a recent trip to Death Valley…Bonus article.
I was getting close to Darwin Falls heading west on 190 while following a slow moving RV. Off in the distance I see black smoke, then a couple RVs pulled over on the east bound shoulder. But the RV that I was following effectively blocked my view of the roadway ahead. Wasn’t until I got really close could I tell it was some vehicle that had seemingly exploded as there was shrapnel all over the road, had to dodge a couple larger pieces and the road was covered with debris. I could not stop right as I passed the wreck because the black smoke was thick and the fire fierce! Too hot even with the windows on the passengers side closed, and the winds blew away from the road. So swerved around it then went 1/4 mile beyond the wreck and stopped for this picture.
This one is telephoto and shows the owners picking through the refuse. Not much left though.
Headed on to Panamint Springs and hiked into and back out of Darwin Falls. I had passed the fire at 10:46 AM that morning and then again going home at 2:50 PM. This bike rider was in front of me as I approached the wreck at 2:48. He passed me just after the wreck and I took this picture because I wanted to show the slope of the hill…maybe the vehicle overheated climbing this hill?
This is well after the police had arrived and set up traffic control…but the fire had died out. Nothing left but picking up the wreck.
Not much left of the vehicle. Or their bikes either.
The debris field…
Didn’t notice there being a firetruck so it had either done it’s job and left, or the fire just burned itself out before the cops arrived.
And then I passed all that’s left of the van? I guess? It could be a Class C though I suppose. But more likely a van as there wasn’t enough debris to be a big RV. There was a surly cop there by then who didn’t look kindly on my stopping for a picture so this is the only one I got.
So that was pretty exciting. My first pass, there wasn’t any cop or traffic control so I’d driven right by the fire. Quite a bit of shrapnel in the roadway, like the vehicle had exploded. Traffic control held up traffic for a while on the way back. So I suppose it could have been a gas fire from the engine that spread to the body, eventually engulfing the entire thing and the gas tank exploded, OR it could have been a propane fire. My money is on a gas engine fire.
With that big metal rectangular brace behind the cab, I’d agree a van/truck based Class C. What explodes in an RV? Propane! Oh-My, but for the Grace of God … At least the occupants got out OK.
Based on the amount of debris spread all over around the wreck, I’m going to say it was a small van style vehicle. Maybe even just an enclosed cab with an open flatbed style. There just wasn’t the kind and amount of debris for me to think it was an RV. Looked like maybe the thing was carrying bicycles on the flatbed portion. I’ll watch the news and papers for info for a while for the full story.
Jim; another article about disaster in Death Valley-
https://is.gd/Mj9uDv
Which I couldn’t read because I’m not turning off the Adblocker in THIS browser. And BTW in the mid ’70s I delivered the Az. Republic newspaper bundles (at night) to corner dropoffs.
Sometimes a bundle would fall off the truck. Cars loved hitting them.
Another I was playing hero by walking up to a house and telling the occupants their car was driving in circles. And was immediately greeted with a double barrel.
Happy travels. Stay safe.
Yeah, I’d heard about that and read the link. Strange story.
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Interesting you posted about the car driving in circles story as there was one of those on the local LA news last night (via satellite). But it was on a street with a woman chasing it around trying to get inside the car…but the door was locked. Eventually, some guy busted the window, got the door open and jumped in and stopped the SUV. Turns out that brand of SUV has had that happen quite a few times.
You stay safe too, and good travels to you!