When we think about worst-case scenarios while driving our cars, there’s no doubt an engine fire would rank high on that list. For Mackenzie Milliman, an event and catering coordinator for Tin Roost restaurant in North Liberty, Iowa, her worst fear became a reality while heading to a job.
Milliman was following behind her colleague on the interstate enroute to the Iowa Hawkeyes football game to cater for two tailgate parties on Saturday, November 8, when she got the call.
“It [the car] just stopped moving,” Milliman’s colleague said. “I’m just sitting here and now it smells like gas. Now it’s smoking.”
Four Propane Tanks Increase Danger
That’s when Milliman frantically instructed her to get out of the car and run away from it. To make matters worse, they were transporting four propane tanks and outdoor heaters. In just minutes after smelling gas and smoke, Milliman’s car engine caught on fire.
“Knowing there were propane tanks in the car really terrified us,” said Milliman.
The fire department arrived and put out the fire quickly. Luckily, no one was injured, but it could have escalated quickly with catastrophic consequences. If a propane tank is close to a fire, the heat causes internal pressure to rise, potentially leading to the tank venting gas (turning into a blowtorch) or, in severe cases, causing an explosion.
Caterer Writes to Cambro
Cambro learned of this harrowing experience because Milliman took the time to send a message with pictures on our Instagram page. Milliman wrote: “Saturday was a rough day, but you deserve a THANK YOU!! My car engine started on fire and sadly ruined the day a bit. Thankful for you, because our two insulated food pan carries definitely had some smoke damage, but barely any warping on the actual container. Thank you for creating a quality product.”
In the pictures of the Ultra Pan Carrier (UPC 300) above, Milliman’s rear-view mirror and other parts of her car melted onto the carrier. “But other than that, there wasn’t any damage. The container didn’t melt,” she said. “The contents were perfectly fine, but we decided to replace the food to be on the safe side.”
Cambro Replaces the Damaged Ultra Pan Carrier
When Milliman wrote to Cambro, she simply wanted to thank us for creating a durable product. However, we decided to replace her Pan Carrier at no cost and upgrade the UPC300 to the larger UPC400.
“That is so kind of you!” Milliman said. “I would love that.”
About Tin Roost
Tin Roost is a locally owned, independent restaurant in North Liberty, Iowa, built around a scratch kitchen serving classic American favorites like cheese curds, smoked meats, burgers, breaded tenderloins, and hearty salads. It’s a big, community hangout with lots of seating plus private-room options and a patio vibe for eating, drinking, and socializing.
Author: Cynthia Connally is the Digital Communications Manager at Cambro.
