Protect cars from 'going up in flames'

The Civil Defence are urging motorists to take care of their vehicles to stop them from going up in flames.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Saleh Beddah, Head of the Civil Protection Department at Dubai Civil Defence, motorists should take extra care during the hot summer months.

According to statistics, vehicle fires make up nearly 30 per cent of the total number of fires recorded in Dubai.

Vehicle fires claim a lot of lives and motorists should take this danger into consideration, he said, adding onlookers should also be very careful when they see such fires and should keep away.
Poor maintenance, short circuits and leaks can all cause car fires. This can be reduced if motorists take care of their vehicles well.

"The danger in these fires lies in the fact that many motorists do not get the chance to react or some of them try to put it out and get injured."

Vehicular fires also produce toxic gases. A main by-product of fires is a lethal concentration of carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas.

Flames from the burning vehicles can often shoot out to 10 feet or more. Intense heat explodes some parts of the vehicle shooting debris to great distances.

According to Lt Col Saleh, vehicle fires are so dangerous that firefighters wear full protective gear and self-contained breathing apparatus to stay safe. They can also quickly put out vehicle fires with large amounts of water or other extinguishing agents.

AFTER EFFECT

Preventive measures

In case of a fire get out of the vehicle and move away from the vehicle. After moving away to a safe distance, call Civil Defence personnel and tell them about the location of the fire.

Stay away from the vehicle, and do not attempt to get back into a burning vehicle to retrieve personal property.

Never put yourself in danger by using a fire extinguisher. If you do use a fire extinguisher at all, only do so from a safe distance.

Do not open the bonnet or trunk if you suspect a fire under it. Air could rush in, enlarging the fire.