NHTSA Complaint #10000769 — 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE

I AM A PARAMEDIC IN ST. CHARLES COUNTY MISSOURI, A SUBURB OF ST. LOUIS. IN THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2002 I RESPONDED TO THREE CRASHES INVOLVING FULL SIZE GM TRUCKS. ALL THE VEHICLES CAUGHT FIRE IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTER A MODERATE TO HIGH SPEED IMPACT. THE VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED IN DRIVER SIDE OFF SET IMPACTS THAT LEAD TO INTRUSION INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLES WERE A 2002 4X4 AVALANCHE, 2001 EXT. CAB 4X4 SILVERADO, AND A 2002 4X4 TAHOE. THE FIRE STARTED NEAR THE BATTERY AND THE FUEL LINES THAT RUN ALONG THE FRAM ON THAT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THEY ALSO, ALL HAD THE 5.3L V-8. I WAS NOT ABLE TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE AVALANCHE OR SILVERADO DUE TO TAKING CARE OF THE INJURED OCCUPANTS. I DID LOOK AT THE TAHOE ENGINE AND IT APPERED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE HAD BEEN SEVERED IN THE CRASH. ALL VICTIMS WERE NOT TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLES AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS QUICKLY.I AM VERY CONCERNED DUE TO HAVING THREE FIRES IN SUCH A SHORT TIME FRAM. I RUN PROBALLY 500 VEHICLE CRASHES A YEAR AND VERY FEW RESULT IN FIRES EVEN WHEN THE FUEL SYSTEM HAS OBVIOUS LEAKS. I AM VERY CONCERNED DUE TO HAVING THREE IN ABOUT A 2 MONTH TIME FRAME. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED MORE INFO.