Motorists urged caution as vehicle fire incidents are on the rise

Muscat: Yet one more vehicle succumbed to fire at Al Ghubra signal on Wednesday morning. Earlier a school van had charred down at Darsait while it was parked. Th driver who came back to look at it was speechless because he said he had parked it just like any other day. “It was perfectly fine when I parked until I heard about the incident and now there is nothing but the frame,” the driver said. The motorists also had seen a public bus engulfed in fire at a bus stop. “I still have not overcome the shock of seeing such a big bus under flame,” said a road user who had seen the incident. “There are frequent incidents of vehicle fire over the hill road between Al Amerat and Bausher due to overheating most of the time. And by the time the fire fighters arrive, the vehicle has to be written off. This is because of the distance. Maybe one of the solutions could be to have a fire point on top of the hill, if possible,” said Maher al Barwani who is also a driving instructor. “Another problem is that some people modify their vehicle, for example add an extra battery and not have proper insulation. And this is the case with the enhanced sound system, with the amplifier taking more power from the alternator. In a real situation, the alternator has to be changed as well. One needs proper knowledge or guidance before making any changes in the vehicle” Maher said. It is a problem that is often seen amongst the youth. He advised, “More importance has to be given to the fire extinguisher in the vehicle and its expiry date. We should also know how to use it.” What are the common causes of fire accidents in vehicles? The most common causes of fire are leakage of fuel and electrical issues. Rahul Das Sivadasan, who has been in the automobile service industry for 15 years, stressed on caring for the vehicle with proper and regular maintenance. “The main concern is fuel leakage. An important factor to remember is not to fill your tank full till its neck. The heat can make the fuel to expand and the vapor can escape,” pointed out Rahul. “Take action the moment you smell fuel. Electric connections need to be professionally maintained. Lookout for any abnormal warnings on the clusters. Keep an eye on the engine ensuring it is not heating. If the car is overheating, there are chances for the tires to blast,” noted Rahul adding aging of the vehicle is another factor. So we have to ensure the tires are in good condition because a tire blast could also set off a fire. The summer temperatures make it worse. The temperature has already touched above 40. On Wednesday, Directorate General of Meteorology stated that the Wilayat of Adam recorded the highest temperature in the country with a high of 43 degrees Celsius followed by wilayats of Nizwa, Mahout, Haima and Al Mudhaibi at 42 degrees Celsius. According to auto.howstuffworks.com, a lot of car’s fluids have corrosive, poisonous and flammable properties, but gasoline is among the most flammable.