lost 20k of gear

[zardos123]

:sadeyes: on a trip across the nullabor my beloved van got some desert brush caught in the engine bay and burst in to flames. i lost about 20k worth of astro gear, i saved my ota's but lost all my tripods,computer,deepcycle batteries,solar panels and eyepieces,also all the hand sets, cables etc.
not a good day:mad2:

[Octane]

:eyepop:

I am deeply sorry for your loss. :(

H

[ballaratdragons]

:eyepop: :eyepop: :eyepop:

Obvious question . . . any insurance on anything?

Glad you got out to live and tell . . . and photograph :thumbsup:

[midnight]

Mate, that must have happened so quickly! The heat has really got to everything.

Glad you got out of that! Very sorry for your loss as the Nullabor trip I have done a few times and it's great.

Nothing more precious than life though.

Take care!

Darrin...

[naskies]

I'm so sorry for your loss! :( Glad to see that you got out safely to tell the tale.

[Ric]

That is heartbreaking to see Brad.

I'm glad to see that everyone is ok though.

[troypiggo]

Nobody likes to see that :sadeyes: As Ric said, heartbreaking.

[leon]

Devastating mate, I feel so sorry for you, what else can one say, glad you are personally OK though.

Leon

[supernova1965]

OH No sorry to hear that

[h0ughy]

Brad - mate at least you are alive! man i really feel for you with the gear gone. I take it you will be making your way home?

[seeker372011]

Terrible thing to happen, hope you didn't get hurt in the fire

[sheeny]

That's a bummer Brad, but as has been said, at least you got out!

The gear cluster laying on the ground is impressive.

Al.

[Poita]

Oh man, that is devastating, but I'm so glad you got out, a friend of ours went back into his burning home last week and never got out again.
That looks like it was really quick.

Did you lose the K5 camera as well?
I can loan you an older laptop (currently loaded with licensed astro software and photoshop) and a Pentax K-r for a while if it will help. I have a few eyepieces kicking around as well if you lost the lot, you can borrow those for a while too.

[mplanet62]

Sorry to hear of this devastation of your equipment. But, honestly - consider yourself lucky - as you are alive and intact and have salvaged at least something. Good luck creating a new, better set, mate!

[Liz]

Terrible to hear Brad, :sadeyes: :sad: but as has been said, glad you are OK. :help:

[jjjnettie]

:sadeyes: a very lucky escape. I'm sorry about your loss.

[Deeno]

What rotten luck. Usually hear about this sort of thing happening to 4x4's but,

thank your lucky stars you got out OK.

[astronobob]

Very hectic scenes Brad, and So SO unfortunate, sorry to see this , ,

Hope you doing fine !

[sheeny]

Brad,

I wise friend once told me (while I was going through my divorce actually) "Its only money". Its a big disappointment and inconvenience but you still have the important stuff!

Al.

[lacad01]

Oh no :( sorry to hear that. Yeah like what others have already mentioned good that you weren't hurt.

[bloodhound31]

Awwwwww CRAP. Mate, my heart goes out to you. I pray something good comes out of all this and gives you some comfort for your terrible loss of property.

Baz.

[hotspur]

I am shocked reading and seeing this-cannot image how awful that must have been,it must have happened so quick-glad you are alive and not hurt.

[AstralTraveller]

Oh dear dear dear, that is sad. What can I say: glad your OK, hope the insurance covers it, it's only money anyway ..... it's all been said before. It must be a terrible shock, so look after yourself.

[acropolite]

That's sad news and rotten luck.

I watched a van burn to a crisp with a very expensive organ inside decades ago, ever since I've carried a fire extinguisher. They cost under $30, they're compulsory in boats in Tasmania, should be the same for cars everywhere.

[AstralTraveller]

I've got one just inside the rear door of my troopie and had one in the previous troopie too. It sat there unused for 25 years but it made me feel better. However a little extinguisher like mine wouldn't be much use against a fire in the engine bay that had caught hold - which it likely had by the time it was noticed. For one thing you probably couldn't get close enough to hit the fire. I envisage it could be used on metho stoves or a fire in the car's trim or upholstery, that sort of thing, but once you're talking burning oil and fuel I'm skeptical. I still agree that they a very good, cheap insurance.

[mishku]

So sorry to hear your sad news, but glad to know you're out safely.

[OICURMT]

You are alive and safe... that's all that matters.

[DavidU]

:eyepop: Oh my goodness, you poor bugger. That must have been on intense fire to melt the aluminium gearbox housing for the cluster gear to fall out.
Still, your safe.

[Paddy]

What a dreadful loss Brad. Glad you got out, but how heartbreaking to lose so much.

[bartman]

Sorry to hear Brad....
That looked like a nice ride too!
Were you far away from any civilization?
:(
Bartman

[iceman]

Wow, terrible! Sorry to hear Brad, but like others said, glad you're ok!

Were you stuck out on the nullabor for long?

[jamiep]

well - the good news is you're alive!?

The heat at the seat of that fire looks like it was intense, i'm not all that sure a fire extinguisher would have helped (you may have gotten quite burnt trying to put it out).

Any insurance cover at all? Perhaps we could all start a collection of misc bits to get you back on your feet?

Jamie

[jenchris]

Glad to hear you're OK.
I do hope your insurance coughs up.
I hope you didn't lose your data as well, there's no intrinsic value but so much work!

[h0ughy]

have tried to call you - i take it the mobile didnt survive?

[danielsun]

That's terrible. Hope you got out of it O.K and hope you had insurance and if so they come good. Huge loss.:(

[zardos123]

yep, i am glad to be in one piece thanks for the kind thoughts and words, i did manage to get my k-5 and lenses out , i am touched by the generous offers to loan gear i managed to get one computer out so it has not been a total loss and i will have some fun tracking down new stuff!

regards brad

[zardos123]

and no mike i was given a lift to ceduna with a passer by. its an amazingly busy piece of road within a few minutes there were about twenty vehicles stopped

[venus]

Sorry about the van and gear Brad, really glad that you survived...

[tornado33]

Gee very sorry to hear of this.
Scott

[traveller]

sorry to hear about the loss Brad. very intense heat, judging by the last photo. amazing you managed to rescue a few pieces of equipment, and yourself!
time to buy a lotto ticket.

[multiweb]

Just caught up on this. Glad to hear no one got hurt. How did this thing go up in flame so quickly. I don't understand. You said you rolled over a dry bush and it ignited? Fuel leak? :question: Some serious heat to liquify the mag wheels.

[Miaplacidus]

Commiserations, Brad. Thank god you're okay.
Six months — usual length of time before you can start laughing about it.