You don’t usually hear about disasters befalling the annual luxurious gathering that’s the Monterey Automotive Week. Nonetheless, this 12 months disaster struck when a priceless Ford Ghia Probe 1 Idea Automotive went up in flames leaving the occasion and now a second multi-million-dollar motor has been destroyed in a fireplace following the meet.
Final week, a $2 million greenback Hispano-Suiza basic automotive caught fireplace whereas being towed in Monterey, stories native information outlet the Monterey Herald. After being exhibited at Traditional Automotive Week in Monterey, the 1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Vanvooren Cabriolet was being towed alongside Monterey-Salinas Freeway and York Highway final week when catastrophe struck.
The trailer hauling the basic was absolutely engulfed in flames at round 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday September 4 and the fireplace shortly unfold to close by vegetation. Because the Monterey Herald stories:
The crews moved shortly and extinguished the fireplace on each the trailer and the vegetation, stopping additional unfold in response to a information launch from town of Monterey. The Monterey-Salinas Freeway was closed in each instructions and visitors was diverted by Decrease Ragsdale Drive for about an hour and a half till the trailer and automobile was eliminated.
A complete of 16 fireplace personnel labored collectively, led by the Monterey Hearth Division, together with two division chiefs from Monterey Hearth and Monterey County Regional Hearth District, 4 engines and one water tender. The Monterey Police Division additionally helped with visitors management and Pacific Gasoline & Electrical inspected close by energy strains for any injury.
Fortunately the motive force of the truck towing the basic automotive was in a position to exit the automobile safely and CBS Information stories that they unhitched their truck and acquired away from the scene with solely minor accidents. The automotive, nonetheless, was a lot much less lucky.
After claiming a second-place award at Traditional Automotive Week, the automotive was fully destroyed by the blaze. Its slick European bodywork was singed off the body and the automotive’s huge V12 up entrance was topic to some intense temperatures whereas the fireplace raged.
Firefighters responding to the blaze shut the freeway whereas tackling the fireplace. They’ve since opened an investigation into the fireplace, however don’t imagine there to be something suspicious concerning the tragedy. As CarScoops provides:
Firefighters declare that there aren’t any present causes for suspicion, even if one other present automobile, on this case a 1979 Ford’s Ghia Probe 1 Idea Automotive valued at $1 million, was additionally destroyed in a trailer fireplace on August 18 in Monterey.
“That is an uncommon occasion to occur twice,” says Monterey Hearth Division Chief Chris Grogan. “Neither considered one of them seems to be suspicious. It’s only a string of unhealthy luck.” The J12 is notable because it was initially supplied with a 9.4-liter V12. This instance is owned by Hong Kong billionaire businessman Michael Kadoorie, says Monterey County Now.
The 1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Vanvooren Cabriolet had simply taken second place within the J-1: European Traditional Touring Early class on the Monterey occasion. Previous rosette winners at California’s annual summer season of automotive exhibits have included a 1937 Bugatti Kind 57SC Atalante in addition to a Nazi period Mercedes-Benz 540 Okay Autobahnkurier.
