Warning Siren Catches fire in Aurora......

[500AT]

This could be a new concept in public warning technology, and rather expensive one at that, but when you think about it, this warning siren has crossed over into the next dimension. It provides audio, and now visual notification that an emergency exists. Likewise, these next generation sirens would be most commonly used for volunteer fire dept. call outs. However, replacing the siren after every call would become rather costly to say the least!

[Hacksaw]

While I don't know exactly what failed in that siren, I do wonder if there's a thermal switch in there. A 20hp motor can get real hot.

[Jim Z]

While I don't know exactly what failed in that siren, I do wonder if there's a thermal switch in there. A 20hp motor can get real hot.

Well, the motor cover was intact in the photo above, the flames were mostly in the horn area. so I'd think it might be something like a misaligned chopper grinding against the stator. that could easily get the metal parts hot enough to torch the resin in the fiberglass horns.

[Robert Gift]

From the closeup of the damaged siren, could it have been bird's nest material heated by friction and ignited?

If the motor, I would expect the fire to be in the back of the siren.

No, the Chrysler siren never caught anything on fire.
Wonder who made up that myth?

[jerrylovessirens]

I wonder if Wayne and Garth did it?

[jkvernon]

That's hilarious! Looking at the pictures, it almost looks like a T-135AC/DC, but judging by the price listed in the article, I want to say it's a T-128. T-128s cost anywhere from $18,000 to $25,000 and the new T-135s cost around $38,000. Then again, whichever model this is, it replaced an older P-50.

[loudmouth]

I have to say that is a really cool picture. Kinda artistic!

bad case of indigestion i would say,

[MattDean1003]

I didn't realize that fire sirens were still being made....

[jkvernon]

Actually, I'll bet it is a T-135AC/DC because it was really just the head that was destroyed and that's probably what cost $24,000. I doubt it was the motor that burnt up since its at the back of the siren and the fire looked like it was coming out the front. Could the rotor and stator been rubbing against each other and sparking and igniting the fiberglass horns? Or maybe this is a case like the Chrysler rumor where it was just so loud that the fiberglass ignited .

[va_nuke_pe]

Guys, they had literally just installed the siren and were doing the initial commissioning test and 24 seconds later - poof! It wasn't the motor - as was noted by someone above.