Fire In Japanese Toyota Prius Factory
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.26.05
An accidental fire (we hope they wouldn't do this on purpose!) broke out in the area where car bodies dry after painting in one of the two Toyota Japanese factories that build Prius hybrid cars. That plant, which assembled about 250 Prius hybrids a day, could close for about a week because of the damage, which would mean that Prius exports could be reduced temporarily. This wouldn't be as bad a problem as it is if Toyota wasn't already selling all the Prius cars it can make and if there wasn't month-long waiting lists in the US. We'll wait to hear from Toyota if this will create a significant new delay for would be buyers or if this is only a minor snag. ::Fire disrupts Prius production, ::Toyota plant suspends Prius production after fire via ::Jalopnik
Yeah i always thought that Brian's car looked like a Prius. Fits with his character too.
Brian also has a bumper sticker that says "Kucinich '04" :D
What was the cause of the fire in the Prius factory? I've read recent postings about fires in the Prius vehicle. Someone connected the Prius fire to a battery leak. Another commented on a fuel leak. I'm just curious as to the source of this fire.
Please comment if you know.
Charlene Blake
cblake@erols.com
REBUTTAL TO CHARLENE BLAKE:
Evidently Ms. Blake is attempting to connect this fire report to an ongoing smear campaign she has waged against Toyota for many years.
The real causes of the Toyota specific issues (sludge is her favorite choice) are still unknown, and there has been a tremendous amount of speculatio over the years.
I disagree with Charlene Blake's narrow focussed assessment of the sludge (and other) problems.
She blames Toyota exclusively, where in fact many of these issues are quite complex with any number of possibilities.
Her frequent appearances on the net are characterized by generalities and politicized rhetoric which appear to be thinly veiled attempts to raise alarm by innuendo and inference.
When pressed for facts and verification, she craftily avoids these challenges, and when she does respond, it's always with more alarmist rhetoric.
The absence of factual and verifiable evidence in any of her remarks is conspicuous; it certainly doesn't point to credibility.
While I hesitate to use the term 'lies' in describing much of the rhetoric she liberally dispenses, I must say it seems she does take some pretty wild liberties with the truth!!
Maybe there were DEFECTIVE PARTS that were being put in the vehicles that caused the fire. You can 'Google' the article, SUIT: DEFECT REPORTS ALTERED TOYOTA PLANT and read about it! Perhaps DEFECTIVE PARTS suddenly caught fire, just as some Toyotas are doing as they sit in parking lots. Hey, a Corolla caught fire and a man burned to death because his son couldn't get the SEAT BELT undone. The TRUTH is out there, but Toyota doesn't want to face it! SLUDGEFEST 2008 will EXPOSE it for eveyone!! Happy Holidays!
The key to what caused the fire is in the report.
It occurred in the paint department where newly painted car bodies are set to dry.
At this stage, there are just body shells--no interiors, no engines, etc.
The fire most likely had nothing to do with painted cars.
More likely it was an external cause--a cigarette, oily rags, or something like that.
Blaming the car is ludicrous under the circumstances.