Approximately 10 percent of all fires are caused by cars – that’s roughly 4,000 – 5,000 vehicles that go up in flames annually in Malaysia. This hazard is further compounded if you drive an older vehicle.
Common causes of fires include collisions that can cause a fuel leak, improper wiring/modifications that may have caused sparking or short circuits, or even carrying flammable items such as aerosols and power banks that can ignite under heat and/or pressure.
Of course, the importance of an in-car fire extinguisher is known well enough, and many owners may already have one equipped in their vehicles. However, putting out a fire quickly and effectively may not be like how it's portrayed in movies or infomercials.
Thus, knowing how to react, can make the difference between evading a life-threatening situation and even saving your vehicle before irreparable damage occurs.
What to do in case of a fire?
Left - Spray type extinguishers, right - 1 kg dry powder ABC type extinguishers are ideally sized for cars.
If you notice a fire or burning smells in your vehicle:
Quickly find a safe place to stop, turn on your hazard lights, and as soon as you come to a stop, immediately switch off the engine, this will stop the flow of fuel to your engine.
Most importantly, if you have an in-car fire extinguisher, grab it now, and get yourself and your passengers outside of the vehicle as quickly as possible.
DO NOT return to the vehicle for any reason, regardless of possessions in the car, as there is always a risk of an explosion.
If you have your phone, call for emergency services, if you don’t, flag down other motorists for help.
Putting out a fire in your vehicle
A car can go from complete to this in a matter of minutes due to a fire
Most people may be familiar with the "Pull.Aim.Squeeze.Sweep (PASS)" method, but note, this may not be the most effective way to put out a vehicle fire.
Whilst that might work for smaller fires, in open areas, fires in a car are different due to the fact the fire is enclosed within the body of the vehicle.
Aim directly at the front grille or under the engine without the sweeping motion. Image
So instead, once you've readied your fire extinguisher - aim steadily and directly at the source of the fire.
You may aim at the front grille, or the gaps between your hood and body, wheel well or from lower regions of the front bumper, aimed upwards towards the engine.
Green arrows point towards where you can aim the fire extinguisher
Notice that in motorsports, safety marshals rarely open the bonnet. They will reach for the ignition cutoff switch that these race cars will have, and quickly proceed to extinguish the fire from gaps in the bonnet and body.
For slightly greater access to the engine, one can unlatch the bonnet which will crack open the front hood, allowing a bit more access towards the front and sides of the engine bay.
Remember, the fire under your hood is in an enclosed space, thus if you open your front hood this will simply let more air reach the flames, which will in turn fuel the fire.
Not to mention, a sudden surge of oxygen, can also cause the fire to expand, causing an explosion that can potentially engulf the entire front of the vehicle.
Always maintain a 1-2 meter distance from the vehicle. Aim for the base of the fire - the biggest mistake people make is not aiming at the base of the fire, which is the source.
Never release the lever once you begin pressing the fire extinguisher, using its entire contents is necessary to effectively put out the fire. Constantly spraying the fire extinguisher will ensure a constant wave of pressure to snuff out the fire, and eliminate any chance of the fire source reigniting.
Pressing and releasing the lever, making the extinguisher huff-and-puff like in the movies, will only make the fire extinguisher lose pressure, thus making the fire-suppressants inside useless.
Note, we need to qualify that firefighters may open a car's hood when putting out a vehicle fire, but we stress, firefighters are highly trained to assess and deal with these situations, and have proper protective gear - not to mention a fire engine.
Also note, water can be just as ineffective, as the water may wash the burning fuel away to other areas of the vehicle, where it can start burning even further. On the flip side, earth and sand are useful at snuffing out a fire.
Though investing in a good fire extinguisher is a vital step in ensuring greater safety in your vehicle, knowing what to do can make the difference between saving you (and your passengers’ lives) and perhaps even saving your car from going up in flames.
Arvind can't remember a time when he didn't wheel around a HotWheels car. This love evolved into an interest in Tamiya and RC cars and finally the real deal 1:1 scale stuff. Passion finally lead to formal training in Mechanical Engineering. Instead of the bigger picture, he obsesses with the final drive ratio and spring rates of cars and spends the weekends wondering why a Perodua Myvi is so fast.
