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Thread: Shelby Cobra Consumed In Fire In Zion Tunnel

  1. #1

    Shelby Cobra Consumed In Fire In Zion Tunnel

    This was a REAL Shelby.

    Zion National Park (UT)
    Classic Car Consumed In Fire In Tunnel

    A 1964 Cobra sports car valued at $800,000 was completely consumed in a fire in the Zion Mount Carmel tunnel on the afternoon of Monday, May 21st. The fire was reported to the park just after 5 p.m. and the park's structural fire engine company responded along with the Springdale/Rockville fire department and two wildland fire engines. A Type Six engine with a 250 gallon tank and a pump capacity of 150 gallons per minute entered the tunnel with two firefighters wearing SCBAs. A second Type Six engine, two Type One engines, and the wildland engines provided backup for the initial attack engine. Firefighters with the initial attack engine were able to successfully contain and extinguish the fully engulfed sports car. The two occupants of the car had found relatively safe refuge in two of the tunnel's gallery windows. All other vehicles and people exited the tunnel prior to initial attack efforts. The two occupants were transported by ambulance to a local hospital. The tunnel and road were closed for two-and-a-half hours. The insurance value of the sports car was reported to be $800,000. Construction of the tunnel, which is just over a mile long, began in the late 1920's and was completed in 1930. At the time the tunnel was dedicated, it was the longest tunnel of its type in the United States. In addition to concerns with the potential for multiple vehicles and people trapped inside the tunnel, responders were aware that wooden timbers provide structural support and prevent rock fall in the interior of the tunnel. The NPS engine company conducts yearly training sessions in the tunnel and had determined that a smaller engine would provide better access and egress from the tunnel in the event of a vehicle fire. Firefighters were also aware that afternoon winds would likely vent smoke away from them as they approached. A protective coating along the walls in the area of the fire protected the tunnel's wood timbers. [Submitted by Ray O'Neil, Incident Commander]

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  3. #2
    Wow! So the car caught on fire...


  4. #3
    Friggin Fords....
    Your safety is not my responsibility.

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Deathcricket View Post
    Friggin Fords....

  6. #5
    Sad day.

    Hurry up I've got to get to Oscar's!

  7. #6
    RIP
    But if I agreed with you, we would both be wrong.

  8. #7
    Ha ha, Deathcricket! (full disclosure, I'm a proud Ford owner).

    Bummer about the Shelby, though.

  9. #8
    Yikes. What an odd and random place for a car to catch on fire. We were actually in Zion on the 21st, but left in the morning, so missed the excitement.

    I do have to say that if I had a car valued at $800K, I wouldn't be taking it out for a drive through Zion NP...just sayin'.
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  10. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by canyonphile View Post

    I do have to say that if I had a car valued at $800K, I wouldn't be taking it out for a drive through Zion NP...just sayin'.
    That's exactly where I'd take it. A cobra would be about the classiest way to cruise the east side. It would sound downright jizztastic in the tunnel too.

  11. Likes mattandersao liked this post
  12. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Bootboy View Post
    That's exactly where I'd take it. A cobra would be about the classiest way to cruise the east side. It would sound downright jizztastic in the tunnel too.
    x2

  13. #11
    I wouldn't be surprised if the guy flamed it on purpose. That's a lot of insurance money...spectacular demise, in a tunnel, no doubt...no way to save it. Lots of witnesses. Smells fishy to me. All he had to do was poke a tiny hole in the fuel line and have it squirt on the engine. Guess we'll never know.

  14. #12
    Actually was there for this. Just finishing up a quick afternoon run through Keyhole, pulled up to the tunnel to see clouds of smoke billowing out. People started jumping out of their cars to take pictures and the rangers seemed fairly close to panic, shouting a bunch of contradicting stuff and whatnot. The longer we stayed the darker the smoke got. I was the first car in line so it must have just started. Anyway once the rangers settled on a course of action (get everyone out of here) things calmed down somewhat. Had to wait for the rangers to clear out a bunch of gawking people standing in the roadway so we could get turned around. Ended up driving the backway through Coral Pink Sand Dunes to get back to St. George. And yes, I missed dinner at Oscar's, which is what I would consider the most tragic part of the whole story

  15. Likes Deathcricket, mattandersao liked this post
  16. #13
    Is it just me? Or does Oscars kick ass?

  17. Likes Deathcricket liked this post
  18. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Bootboy View Post
    Is it just me? Or does Oscars kick ass?
    Yes, yes it does.

  19. #15
    Not what I usually want to see when pulling up to the tunnel... sorry about the quality, had my camera in back so this is from a phone while in the process of turning the car around.
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  20. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Byron View Post
    I wouldn't be surprised if the guy flamed it on purpose.
    I see you are not a car guy.... a real Shelby Cobra is pretty much a license to print money... I'm guessing the car was not insured for it's true value as Cobra's are currently selling in the 1 million to 20 million dollar range depending on condition and options.

    Collector cars are normally insured for whatever price you want to hang on the car, and you pay a premium based on the insured amount you choose.

    This car will be put back together no matter how bad it is destroyed, just owning a frame with a stamped Shelby registration number is probably worth $100k

    FWIW: Cobras orginally sold for something like $4000 new (same price as a Corvette) and they couldn't sell them because they are basically a POS when compared to a 64 Corvette... but because they are so rare, and have a racing history they are extremely collectable....

    Name:  shelby427prototype_lead.jpg
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  21. #17
    I wonder how well the aluminum survived the fire...

  22. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by canyonphile View Post
    Yikes. What an odd and random place for a car to catch on fire.
    Some years ago when I lived in Denver, one sunny summer Saturday morning I headed up I-70 into the mountains. My plan was to reach the TH for a Sawatch peak and camp, then bag the peak Sunday morning. However, while I was heading up, a motorhome caught fire in the Eisenhower tunnel, causing the westbound bore to be completely closed. Actually, it was on fire before it entered. An alert controller on duty up there saw it on the camera and immediately moved to stop further traffic from entering. I think it was the propane tank/stove on the vehicle that was the cause.

    Traffic was rerouted via US 6, over Loveland Pass. And was backed up for hours. I actually never did get to the Sawatch's, I found an alternate destination on the east side of the Divide!

  23. #19
    Actually Ice, I know cars pretty well...I really don't think he torched it on purpose, but he may be car rich and cash poor and he needs 200K RIGHT NOW. People do strange things, man...and you're right, it will be rebuilt.

  24. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Bootboy View Post
    I wonder how well the aluminum survived the fire...
    There is a Utah company that reproduces the aluminum body panels. You can't tell them from OEM.

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