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Roller gets roasted

Thu 04 Jul 2013

Roller gets roasted

Our reader was operating this large Bomag self-propelled single drum vibratory roller on a busy site in the Exeter area last week, when it caught fire with devastating results. The machine operator, who didn’t want to be named, said he had a lucky escape, jumping clear as the fire took hold. His work bag containing his phone, car keys, flask and new Hi Viz jacket, all went up in the devastating blaze! Machine fires can be fierce once they get going. I was once operating a JCB 805BT back in 84/85. In those days we used to go for a breakfast in the canteen, but leave the machine running to keep the cab warm in winter. I was just tucking in to a full English when one of the lads came running in to tell me the JCB was going up in flames! I said “yeah ok, pull the other one!”, but a quick glance out the door confirmed it was roaring away nicely! The speed that it engulfed the machine was incredible, and pretty scary to be honest. In a spell of about 20 minutes the machine was an insurance right off!  

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