JL Wrangler Catches on Fire After Hit from the Rear

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
So, I've been talking to a buddy of mine in Utah who saw a JL on fire near his house. After talking to his neighbor who saw what happened and talking to a police officer at the scene, he said that the JL was hit from the rear by a truck and it instantly burst into flames. Sadly, the driver died in the accident along with 2 other people in a different car that got caught up in the mess. Here is a news article about what happened.


Now, I don't know all the details but I am super curious as hell what could have caused the JL to burst into flames? I mean, the JL isn't an old TJ or WJ with a gastank hanging low on the back bumper. Any thoughts?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I read that particular crash the person in the Jeep stopped in the middle of the road for an unknown reason and got rear ended HARD. I think it could have been any type of vehicle and had similar results.
Yes, I was told that the JL cut the truck off and came to a rapid stop or something like that. Got hit hard from behind. Forgive me for not understanding but what would cause the JL to burst into flames?
 

Robar

The Enforcer
Yes, I was told that the JL cut the truck off and came to a rapid stop or something like that. Got hit hard from behind. Forgive me for not understanding but what would cause the JL to burst into flames?
Modern vehicles have never been safer, but even with that can only take so much impact. A fast and hard enough impact can cause numerous things to crack or burst that can't be manufactured safe.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Modern vehicles have never been safer, but even with that can only take so much impact. A fast and hard enough impact can cause numerous things to crack or burst that can't be manufactured safe.
So, like the gas tank. Even if it's no longer in the rear and even in front of the rear axle, a hard enough hit can still rupture it.
 

Robar

The Enforcer
So, like the gas tank. Even if it's no longer in the rear and even in front of the rear axle, a hard enough hit can still rupture it.
I would think the possibility does exist. I've seen it on other vehicles. Crash engineers can't plan for every possible scenario. Crashes like this are very A typical.

From what I read, the Jeep was slowed or stopped but was still hit with enough energy to push it into on coming traffic colliding with two other vehicles with enough force that the other vehicle also caught fire and trapped the occupants. I'm no physicist but there was a lot of force and energy involved in this incident.
 

wjtstudios

Hooked
Yeah, a extreme hit that that will do crazy things to a vehicle. When that DD hit me head on it blew her tank and was leaking fuel. Thank god it never went up
CA8A8873-FBFB-43D5-9604-2CA9588ECB89.jpeg
 
Yes, I was told that the JL cut the truck off and came to a rapid stop or something like that. Got hit hard from behind. Forgive me for not understanding but what would cause the JL to burst into flames?
Getting hit that hard likely rupture tank and from there it’s just heat or spark to start a small fire then it takes seconds for the gasoline to really get going. I truly doubt it was an immediate ‘burst’ into flames directly on impact. Just chain reaction that happened quickly and if you don’t get the fuck out before the smoke gets going you don’t have much of a chance.
 

Ddays

Hooked
Yeah, a extreme hit that that will do crazy things to a vehicle. When that DD hit me head on it blew her tank and was leaking fuel. Thank god it never went up
View attachment 364157
It's really amazing how safe vehicles are these days. I watched a youtube video where they did an offset crash with a 60-ish Impala with one from the 2000's. Not even close. The driver in the old Impala would have died. Seeing that impala reminded me of that. That driver ^^ was lucky to be alive.
 
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