What happens when the car suddenly catches fire?

Top 10 Reasons Why a Car Gets Fire

Even professional investigators cannot give specific answers to the cause of a car's fire. To be precise, it should be caused by a combination of factors, such as human factors, mechanical failures, and chemical reactions.

According to the National Fire Protection Association ( NFPA) , fires in the United States account for 20% of all fires . Xiaobian here will list 10 causes of vehicle fire .

1 leak of fuel system

The most common cause of vehicle fires is the leakage of the fuel system. All kinds of oil in the car are flammable, toxic, and corrosive, among which the fuel contains these three characteristics. Gasoline temperatures need only to exceed 7.2 °C to be able to be quickly ignited in a moving car. This type of combustion occurs at all times - certainly within the engine. In addition, gasoline spontaneously ignites at 257.2 °C . The only measure to prevent the fire system from causing a fire is good maintenance. When you smell petrol near a car, immediately check the fuel system for leaks.

2 Electronic system failure

The reason why the failure of the electronic system is listed as the second cause of vehicle fire is because, in many fire accidents, the electronic system failure does occupy a certain proportion. If there is a fault in the car battery, its charging process may cause hydrogen explosion in the engine compartment. In addition, if the wire harness connected to the battery is loose, the leaked current will react with the droplet and the leaked steam during the current transmission of the battery, resulting in a fire.

The harm caused by the failure of the electronic system is not limited to the local area. The entire vehicle is run through the wiring harness of various electronic systems, inside the door, under the carpet, and under the seat....

3 types of oil spill

There is a variety of liquids under the hood of each car - fuel, oil, transmission oil, steering oil, brake oil, coolant, and so on. When the car is in motion, all of the above oils are undergoing a work cycle, and any leaky pipe in the circulation system containing these oils causes problems with the leaking of the oil, which may cause a fire. Some of these oil circulation systems only cover the engine compartment, while others flow through the entire vehicle, such as brake fluid.

4 Engine overheated

Overheating of the engine, indirectly causing the vehicle to catch fire, is a good example of a chain reaction. The car engine itself cannot be overheated enough to catch fire. However, it can allow liquids, such as coolant and oil in the engine compartment, to exceed the standard operating temperature. Once this happens, these liquids will spill out and spray all over the engine compartment. After coming into contact with other high-temperature components, there is a good chance of fire.

5 catalytic converter overheating

Normal operating temperature of the catalytic converter is 1200? (648.9 ℃) -1600? (871.1 ℃), while its temperature will rise to overheating 2000? (1093.3 ℃). This will not only adversely affect the catalytic converter itself, but also cause damage to other components around it. Each component of the car has its proper operating temperature. An abnormally high temperature of the catalytic converter will cause heat to be transferred to the cabin carpet through the heat insulation layer, causing fire.

6 hybrid battery failure

In 2011 and 2012 , Chevrolet Volenda caught fire in impact tests. In this regard, the U.S. federal regulatory agency believes that, in most cases, exposure to leaked coolant and damaged batteries caused a fire.

7 people arson

The arson of a vehicle may be to cover up the crime of theft. It may also be to conceal evidence of other crimes or insurance fraud. Arsonists can ignite cars through a variety of catalyst combinations, and even in some cases the police cannot catch criminals.

8 high speed collision

Collisions at specific locations on the vehicle may cause fire. The protective design of the wrinkled area of ​​most vehicles is very good. Metal steel can absorb most of the impact force to protect the interior components such as the engine, battery and fuel tank. However, these protections are vulnerable to high-speed collisions. Collisions can lead to oil leakage and smoke. Various types of flammable liquids become extremely hot under impact, and it is known that high temperatures can occur with flammable liquids.

Because the occupants were still inside the car after the collision, they could not be informed of the deformation of the vehicle and could not be informed whether the vehicle had a sign of a fire. After a collision, if it is not trapped in the car or fainting, it must be out of the car to maintain a safe distance.

9 poor maintenance

Poor maintenance will not directly lead to a vehicle fire, but it will definitely increase its risk. Damaged parts, leaking seals, messy wiring harness connections, etc., will increase the risk of fire in the vehicle. Long-term replacement of engine gaskets can make flammable liquids more likely to leak, thereby increasing the risk of fire. After the external protective material of the harness system is worn, it is also prone to fire when it comes into contact with flammable materials. Therefore, as the owner needs to open the engine cover from time to time, regular inspections and maintenance of key parts are performed, thereby reducing the incentive to cause the vehicle to catch fire.

10 design flaws

The design flaw of the vehicle itself has nothing to do with fire. However, it will make the vehicle more likely to catch fire under certain conditions. Under normal circumstances, car companies will seek out the crux of the incident and initiate a recall to prevent the design flaws from causing more widespread fires. No car company wants its own customers to drive a car that is prone to fire.

What happens when the car suddenly catches fire?

For the majority of vehicle owners and passengers, how can a driver's vehicle be rescued and dealt with in the event of a sudden fire? In this regard, a fire brigade Jiangnan Squadron instructor introduced some methods and precautions:

1 If the car suddenly emits burnt smell or smoke during driving, the driver should immediately stop and turn off the engine, turn off the power switch, get out of the car to check or seek help from a professional, and do not sit in the car to call for help. When the driver gets off the vehicle, other people in the vehicle, especially the elderly and children, should all alight to the safe area to wait, and do not stay in the vehicle where there is a potential safety hazard.

2 After the car catches fire, in the course of escape or save, if the clothes on the body are ignited, if the time permits, you can quickly take off your clothes and use it to extinguish the fire; if it is too late, the fireman should not run around. Rolling the fire in place destroys the fire. Others pat the fire with clothing and cover the fire. Do not use fire extinguishers to spurt the fire. Everyone should not cry out while fighting a fire so as to avoid bruising or burning of the respiratory tract.

3 There is a portable fire extinguisher in the car and learn how to use it. In general, when a car fire just starts, it can be extinguished by using an on-board fire extinguisher. If the fire is large, the fire extinguisher is not enough. A fire extinguisher must be used decisively to move vehicles to and away from the body's chemical fiber clothing to avoid burning. If no fire extinguisher is available, the flash point can be covered with sand by the roadside.

Standing a 4-car safety hammer. After the car catches fire, the doors may not open, and the people in the car need to escape from the windows. At this time, the safety hammer is sent to a large-scale use, and an urgent juncture can be used to break through the glass and escape.

5 When the car suddenly catches fire during refueling, the staff should immediately stop refueling. The driver should quickly drive the car out of the gas station to a safe area before stopping the fire.

6 When a bus that rides suddenly catches fire, drivers and passengers should not panic and should not be confused. They should search for the nearest door or window and escape from the car with the fastest speed. If the compartments are closed, they must be broken windows to escape. The enclosed buses are now equipped with broken safety hammers. If no safety hammer is found, all hard objects can be used to smash the glass.

7 The most important point is that at the same time of extinguishing fires and self-rescue, it is also necessary to promptly call the local fire brigade for help. The police should try their best to remain calm and clarify the location of the fire and the fire situation.

The information in this article comes from the Internet and was reorganized and edited by China Rescue Equipment Network.