Even though it looks like they’re going in different directions, both of these trucks were responding to the same fire. And while it would obviously be tough to hear a siren if your own siren was blaring, you know somebody is going to get their ass handed to them. For more on this crash and the resulting carnage, check out this report from the St. Louis CBS affiliate.

What can I say? I think I love this Monaco fire chief car (listed as a Coronet) more than life itself. But I’ve decided I "really shouldn’t" buy any more cars until I’m done paying off my student loans. So instead, I’m tying to convince John to get it. It’s totally him, right? Come on, man, bid!

I’d sure never seen it before, but apparently the Monster Fire Truck is quite a fixture in and around Virginia Beach, where the city’s fire department uses it as a promo vehicle and educational tool (airbrushed on one of the fenders is the phrase, "Learn Not To Burn"). The 1944 Seagrave fire engine was purchased for the department by firefighter Don Moss, and gradually converted to a monster truck by legions of students at the Virginia Beach Technical and Career Education Center (VOTECH)—it’s been worked on by students of the auto shop, diesel tech, welding, and auto paint and body classes. The Monster Fire Truck reportedly makes appearances at local events year-round, though its 2008 itinerary still seems to be up in the air—the one place we know it’ll be is at the Schuylkill Haven Fire Department Convention up in Pennsylvania at the end of August. Apart from that, it’ll just have to surprise us. Any of you East-Coasters ever seen the truck in person?

Massive Disclaimer: consult any credible source about extinguishing car fires, and they’ll basically tell you that you shouldn’t. That’s right—what they want you to do is pull over, get as far away as possible, helplessly watch your car burn to a crisp, and let the fire department deal with it. The risks of fighting the fire yourself are too great, they say. However, we’re sure there are many of you among our membership who would rather perish with your ride than watch it burn, and for these crazy maniacs who are going to go ahead and try to battle the flames despite the obvious personal dangers, we’ve assembled some basic info on the safest way to go about it.

• In your vehicle, carry a well-secured and reasonably hefty fire extinguisher, but one that you can operate with one hand. A fire can easily flare up again after the contents of your dinky glove-box extinguisher are spent, so you’ll want to be able to drown it completely on the first try.
• The majority of fires start in the engine bay, and once they get going, you have an average of five or six minutes before they infiltrate the passenger compartment. Work fast.
• If you have an interior hood release, pop it as soon as you’re aware of the fire. If you wait until the release cable has stretched or burned up, you won’t be able to get at the fire and your ride will be lost.
• Make sure you turn the engine off to stop the flow of fuel, genius.
• Open the hood only wide enough to locate and access the fire. Do not give in to the impulse to fling the hood wide open and lean face-first into the engine compartment. Any rush of oxygen will cause a big flare-up, and you will be roasted.
• Always aim your extinguisher at the base of the fire, not the flames. Sweep the base with a back-and-forth motion, and don’t let up until all sign of fire has been eliminated.
• Be extra careful of pressurized components. While the fuel system on a fuel-injected car is of course the main one, beware of other pressurized parts that can become missiles when heated, like gas shocks for hoods and hatches, and liquid-filled bumper components on late-model cars. Avoid standing near the corners of the car.
• Know when to bail. If the fire has spread to more than one area of the vehicle, or if it’s anywhere near the gas tank, or if you’re on fire yourself, dummy, get the hell away. It’s all over anyway, and in a minute you’re going to have bigger things to worry about than replacing your car.
• If your fire begins under the dash (the second most common location), be sure to disconnect the battery as soon as possible after extinguishing the blaze. If the electrical short is still there, the fire will likely flare up again.
• After you’ve put out an upholstery fire (usually caused by a cigarette), get the smoldering seat out of your vehicle and chase down any embers that’ve burrowed down into the foam.
• Once you’ve completely extinguished the fire, don’t hang around. Your ride will likely be smoking, and the fumes produced by some automotive materials can kill you.