FIRE STRIKES LOCAL CAR COLLECTOR!

[Mopar John]

When I read the local newpaper it made me sick. On Saturday night a local guy saw an orange glow coming from his 60 X 120 pole barn. He called 911 and the fire department got to his rural pole barn fully engulfed! There was no electric or gas connected to this building. The article states his late father started this collection of 50's, 60's and 70's Linclons and Mercury's! The guy lost 21 cars in the fire! The building was insured but none of the cars were! WOW! The article on this fire was in the Laporte Herald Argus from Laporte, Indiana in last nights 12-11-12 paper. They might have the pictures on the web site. Fire is probably a collectors worst enemy!
MJ

[richRTSE]

I can't imagine the sickening feeling waiting for the fire trucks and watching the fire get bigger and bigger.... can't understand not having insurance though... Hopefully something will be salvageable....

There was no electric or gas connected to this building.

...seems likely the only source may be the car batteries (or trespassers?)...wonder if it was mice eating wires on one of the cars...

[WINGIN IT]

I can't imagine the sickening feeling waiting for the fire trucks and watching the fire get bigger and bigger.... can't understand not having insurance though... Hopefully something will be salvageable....

There was no electric or gas connected to this building.

...seems likely the only source may be the car batteries (or trespassers?)...wonder if it was mice eating wires on one of the cars...

This is why I disconnect the battery on all my old cars when not in use, assuming the cars were the cause, and not some vagrants.  Not likely an insurance scam unless the barn was more valuable than the total some of the cars inside and then some.

[1970Moparmann]

I disconnect the battery every time I park my car in the garage.  I have an attached garage, and couldn't image what "could" happen. 

[tan top]

aww no  shame      

[Aero426]

can't understand not having insurance though... :

Insurance on 20+ cars can cost real money, that's why.    I hear ya.    It's a gamble.  

The same thing happened here in the late 90's.    About 50 cars gone, all with full tanks for storage.  I don't think the cars were insured.   Lost a Superbird in that one.   it is still in storage but is pretty crispy from the doors back.  

[pettybird]

Insurance on 20+ cars can cost real money, that's why.    I hear ya.    It's a gamble.  

If you know anyone with a large collection like this who isn't running insurance, tell them State Farm has really low prices on storage insurance.  You're not allowed to drive the cars, but we pay like $7 a half to store our '73 Porsche 914.  Even the Marty car goes into "storage" and is insured for about $75k and it costs less than $20 for the winter. 

[tan top]

can't understand not having insurance though... :

Insurance on 20+ cars can cost real money, that's why.    I hear ya.    It's a gamble.  

The same thing happened here in the late 90's.    About 50 cars gone, all with full tanks for storage.  I don't think the cars were insured.   Lost a Superbird in that one.   it is still in storage but is pretty crispy from the doors back.  

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=25095.0

looks the same one  , although weren't there two with similar paint jobs

[Aero426]

Yes, that is the car.   They were working on a propane truck in the building.  There was a leak.    The furnace kicked on, and BOOM!

[JB400]

At least most of the parts are available to fix it now.  I hope that is the plan.

[GOTWING]

here is a copy and paste of the article,

Published: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 5:05 PM CST

LA PORTE — Investigators Monday were still trying to come up with the cause of a fire that destroyed a pole barn and nearly two dozen antique Lincoln vehicles inside the metal structure outside La Porte.

La Porte County Sheriff's Department fire investigator Mike Raymer said finding the source of the blaze will be difficult given the amount of damage and the need to bring in an excavator to remove the burned out cars, along with the roof and four walls that all caved in. He said moving the charred remains could destroy evidence that otherwise would shed light on the cause.   

"To actually try to pinpoint an exact location where it started is going to be very hard because the entire building is collapsed," said Raymer.

Just after midnight Saturday, Center Township firefighters, along with firefighters from Springfield and Kankakee townships, responded to the 4800 block of north CR-100W.



The property owner, Kenneth Coates, told investigators he was getting ready for bed when he looked out and saw an "orange glow."

He called 911 but the 120 foot by 60 foot metal structure  across the street from his residence was quickly engulfed in flames.

Despite no gas or electric running to the building, Raymer said no assumptions can be made as to the fire's cause and there is nothing to indicate right now that it was intentionally set.

He said one possibility is an animal might have chewed through the wiring on one of the vehicles creating a short that could have touched off the blaze.

"We'll have to dig through it and see what we can come up with," said Center Township Fire Chief Mark Christiano.

Coates said 21 classic vehicles, mostly Lincolns as old as the 1950s, were destroyed.

His late father started the collection, but Coates said he began adding to it in the 1970s when he bought his first Lincoln in high school and kept driving it while in college.   

Coates also revealed he did not have insurance on the vehicles but did have coverage on the building.

He estimated the loss at $150,000 to $200,000 on the cars alone.

"I never would have imagined that building catching fire. It's just the way it goes," said Coates.

Deputies said also destroyed were lumber, boat parts to a marine business operated by Coates along four all-terrain vehicles and a 2010 Dodge Challenger.

[Dr V]

Thats a sad story...   I cant even imagine not having insurance on my cars..   Not even worth taking a chance in my opinion.

[WINGIN IT]

Thats a sad story...   I cant even imagine not having insurance on my cars..   Not even worth taking a chance in my opinion.

Agreed. I am paranoid about that stuff.

[Rarepearl]

The reality of car collecting.  First thing you have to do is have a place to store them.  The bigger the place the more cars.  My guess is since he did not buy any of them his personal investment was zero and the fear of losing zero was zero.  There are some good options out there for insurance but then again it is all about weighing the risks and gains (saving the money by not buying the insurance).  Raise your hand if you have gone through your insurance statements and added up all the money you have spent on your cars that are just sitting over the years and wondered if it was worth it.

[Dr V]

The reality of car collecting.  First thing you have to do is have a place to store them.  The bigger the place the more cars.  My guess is since he did not buy any of them his personal investment was zero and the fear of losing zero was zero.  There are some good options out there for insurance but then again it is all about weighing the risks and gains (saving the money by not buying the insurance).  Raise your hand if you have gone through your insurance statements and added up all the money you have spent on your cars that are just sitting over the years and wondered if it was worth it.

Worth every penny to me.  Im insured for 650K and I hate writing the premium check to Hagerty every June, but lightning doesnt care if you are insured or not.   One bad electrical surge while you are at dinner with your wife or sleeping and its all gone....

[Ricomondo]

I saw this story as well as LaPorte is two counties over.
All you guys nearby? I'm in Crown Point.

[Mopar John]

I saw this story as well as LaPorte is two counties over.
All you guys nearby? I'm in Crown Point.

Ricomondo,
I am near the Laporte/Porter county line north of Westville, Indiana!
The closest I get to your area is the Friday car nights on HWY 30 at the Valpo Harley dealer!
MJ

[Mopar John]

Today as I was leaving work I passed a local scrap hauler that was going to a nearby car shreader. The big shreader is in the industrial area of the steel mill that I work at. On the top of the pile of this truck was a very badly burned car! It caught my attention and I thought to myself what was stolen and burnt this time? As I looked closer it was an older Lincoln! This car was probaly one from the fire of this post! It was a very hot fire and melted the car down to the top of the doors! The tires were completly burnt off the rims! This mad me sad to see this piece of someones collection destroyed and going to it's final place a CAR SHREADER! I know there are a couple of toasted AERO cars out there that may be saved someday but I think fire is our worst enemy!
MJ

[Kismgby]

Ouch.  This one was painful indeed!

Y'know some times I take the car for granted because "everyone I know" has got (at LEAST) one.  But when I read the line about him having 21 cars worth an estimated $100-$150K, it kinda puts things into a little different perspective.  Hmmm, maybe it's time to start treating her a little bit nicer...

I sometimes think about what would I grab from the house if I woke up and there was a fire.  Never want to ever have to make that decision, but hopefully a robe is high on the list...