A car that catches fire in a car park, a tunnel or a queue of traffic puts the vehicles around it and the people nearby at risk. In the first minutes, getting the fire under control and moving the burning car away from everything else decides how far the fire spreads. That is the job CenTall designed its multi-function vehicle mover robot for.
How the robot is built
The robot consists of a support panel, a support frame, a rotation system, a drive system and a video remote control. Its four basic functions are lifting, rotating, driving and remote operation with live video, so the operator can steer it precisely without standing next to the fire. A built-in water spray device lets it fight the fire while it works.
Moving a burning car
In a demonstration, the robot handled a car fire in four steps:
- The crew connects a fire hose to the robot.
- The robot drives under the burning car, spraying water at the underside to knock down the flames there.
- It lifts the car and drives it to a safe, open area, guided by the operator on the video remote control.
- The robot withdraws from under the car, and firefighters cover the car with a fire blanket to put out the remaining fire.
Fitting a water cannon for larger fires
When a fire has grown and heat and smoke keep crews back, the robot can be fitted with a water cannon. The combination has three advantages: a strong water jet that reaches the seat of the fire through smoke and heat, precise aiming because the operator sees the fire on the video remote control and can adjust the spray angle, and fire fighting from a distance, which lets the robot build a line of defence and open a safe path for firefighters.
Where it is used
The robot is meant for vehicle fires on motorways and in car parks: it clears congested roads, opens rescue lanes and moves burning vehicles away from the hazard. Like every CenTall product, it can be adapted to customer requirements. Ask us for the data sheet and a demonstration video.