MUSCAT: The Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority in Oman have dealt with 808 vehicle fire incidents in 2021 compared to 608 incidents in 2020. 

The authority in a tweet on Wednesday stated that summer normally witnesses an increased rate of vehicle fires, resulting in human and material losses. There has however been a trend of increasing vehicle fire incidents in Oman since 2020. 

What causes vehicle fires?

The reason for vehicle fires is usually due to fuel or oil leaks from the tank or pipes. It can also be due to increased pressure on the tires due to overloading and reduced air pressure.

Often, ignoring the safety instructions while refuelling, like smoking and the use of mobile-phone, can lead to vehicle fires. Other reasons such as fitting counterfeited or below standard parts or vehicle maintenance done by unqualified individuals can also lead to these incidental fires. 

The authority also listed increased engine temperature due to a shortage of water in the radiator, additional electrical accessories in the vehicle and traffic accidents as causes of vehicle fires.

How to avoid vehicle fires?

With a few safety procedures kept in mind, vehicle fires can be avoided. Some of the ways these can be avoided is by checking your vehicle daily and ensuring the safety of its parts prior to starting the engine, regularly maintaining your vehicle and replacing worn-out parts with new and quality parts and taking care to not smoke while refuelling and switching off your engine.

Care must be taken to not leave any lighter, perfume, or any flammable materials in the vehicle, and avoid the use of counterfeited parts, especially for the engine, radiator, and electrical parts and wires.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is not to leave children unattended in the vehicle. All vehicle owners must ensure having a valid manual fire extinguisher (dry powder) in the vehicle.

What do you do in case your vehicle is on fire?

Firstly, slow down your car, activate the hazard lights, and then park the vehicle away from the road. Then, switch off the engine and immediately leave the vehicle.

Never fail to call the emergency service: 9999 OR 24343666. You can also try to put the fire out using the fire extinguisher, without endangering yourself or others during the process. Remember, SAFETY IS A PRIORITY. 

If you see that the fire intensity has increased, immediately move away from the vehicle to a safe place until the fire trucks arrive and also warn other road users not to come close to the vehicle on fire.