Insufficient engine oil, excessive use of AC, poor quality electrical wiring system inside vehicles are some of the reasons for fire.Ranchi: A private school van carrying students caught fire in Gola area of Ramgarh district on Friday. Four children escaped with minor injuries.
The risk of sparking in the vehicle’s engine increases with increasing temperature. While the causes could be manufacturing defects or human error, those associated with the auto industry argued that the fires are preventable.
Riyaz Khan, the owner of a car service center in Kokar, attributed various reasons for the strange vehicle fires. “I had repaired a car after it broke down due to a fire in the CA chamber near Booty More a few days ago. It had no coolant and could have been fatal,” he said.
Insufficient engine oil, excessive use of AC, poor quality electrical wiring system inside the vehicles are some of the reasons behind the fire, he added. “In the summer, vehicle owners need to check these things. Manufacturing defects can also cause fires, but these are rare cases. Also, people tend to overdo the remodeling of their vehicles, mainly the interiors, instal putting additional devices that charge the vehicles’ electrical system,” he said, advising that the ignition should be turned off immediately, whenever smoke or fire is detected.
Dinesh Singh, owner of a heavy vehicle repair shop in Bariatu, advised people to refrain from filling the fuel tank full, mainly during summer. “Compared to the rainy or winter season, the chances of friction inside the fuel tank are greater during summer due to reasons both external and internal to the tank. Therefore, people should not fill the tanks and must always leave enough space for the gases generated by friction to circulate”, he said.
State Fire Officer Jagjivan Ram, however, opined that fire can break out in the vehicle irrespective of the season. But the intensity can increase during the summer if neglected. “Routine maintenance and safety checks ensure the safety of the vehicle,” he said.
