Road vehicle fire and breakdown claims are generally well known to the public and to insurance professionals. However, there is a category of vehicles/machines that is just as prone to damage by fire or breakdown. This concerns farm or forestry equipment. In fact, it is not just vehicles that are at risk. In these fields, especially in agriculture, there are stationary machines that can just as easily be the subject of expensive claims. An example of this would be propane-powered grain dryers.
Factors leading to grain dryer fires include:
- the accumulation and subsequent ignition of agricultural or tree-felling debris near hot surfaces such as engines, exhaust systems, belts, and various rotating components (worn or poorly maintained);
- electrical failures causing the ignition of debris or combustible fluid escaping as a result of a failure of a mechanical part;
- intentional act.
Even in cases where the post‑fire remains of the machinery are in an advanced state of destruction, the expert in technical investigation can often identify at least one probable cause, if not the specific cause of the loss, whether electrical or mechanical in nature. In many cases, this can often lead to a favorable recourse, for example, against a manufacturer or a repairer who has recently worked on the machinery in question.
Moreover, it is important to know that many machines used in forestry (and increasingly, in agriculture) are equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system (usually dry powder) with a manual release device. Although such systems can often limit the extent of the damage caused by a fire, they can fail and be of no help in slowing the progress of a fire. These systems have several components, each of which can fail in specific ways, sometimes as a result of inadequate maintenance. In the latter case, recourse may be possible, for example, against a workshop that has carried out the mandatory periodic inspection of the fire extinguishing system.
Occasionally, the analysis of the case may be facilitated by known recalls on certain equipment for problems that have the potential to start a fire. The investigation of a vehicle could help establish a link between the fire and these recalls, in order once again to initiate a recovery process.
Mechanical and electrical failures can occur at any time, regardless of the age of the equipment. A fire attributable to these failures can occur even when the vehicle is not running since electrical circuits can remain energized. In addition, equipment shutdown can allow heat to build up in a component for some time, given the absence of the cooling factor generated by the movement of machinery or mechanical ventilation available during operation. A combustible fluid leak occurring before the shutdown could therefore ignite a few moments after it.
Following a careful study of the facts, the technical investigation expert knows how to recognize the numerous clues to establish the cause of a fire or sudden equipment failure. Even in cases where the wreck of the machinery show signs of advanced damage, it is often possible to identify the cause and origin of the event that resulted in the loss. This type of loss unfortunately represents considerable amounts for insurers in many cases given the typically expensive nature of the specialized equipment discussed in this article.
