On Board Fires

On board fires can quickly turn into disasters if you don’t recognize the danger and react immediately. Despite the seriousness of this type of emergency, there is a bit of a silver lining. Many, if not most vehicle fires are electrical. For whatever reason, wiring begins to overheat. If left alone long enough, overheating leads to smoke, which leads to fire. So, what is the silver lining?

If you are about to experience an electrical fire, you should have a very clear warning. You will probably notice the all too familiar smell of electric wires burning. The minute you notice this and can tell the odor is not dissipating – or is getting worse – pull your vehicle off the road when safe and turn off your ignition. If the problem is, in fact, electrical, you have just killed its source by killing the vehicle’s power. Carefully look for smoke or try to determine the location of the odor. If you actually see smoke or flames, extinguish the fire if you can. If it appears that the fire is something you cannot control, get help immediately by calling 911.

While engine related fires are a bit less common, they are also more sudden and more serious. Again, pull safely off the road at the first sign of smoke or especially of flames. If you do pull off the road, try to stop in a spot well away from other people and vehicles in case things get out of hand. Get yourself and your passengers away from the vehicle immediately if you feel you cannot stop the flames. Engine fires are more apt to affect fuel lines and your fuel tank. At that point, the chance of a dangerous explosion is all too real.

Good defensive drivers carry fire extinguishers in their vehicles. The best type to carry is a class ABC extinguisher. This type of device is suitable for all types of fires. If you purchase and carry an extinguisher, don’t wait until you have an emergency to read the directions. In most cases, you’ll pull out a locking pin, point the extinguisher towards the flames, and squeeze the handles. Just remember a couple of things: always aim the extinguisher at the base of the flames for maximum effect. Also, use extreme caution with a fire under the hood. When you open the hood, you introduce oxygen into the flames. This can cause a dangerous flare up if not an outright explosion. Fires under the hood may be best left to trained professionals.

Sadly, many drivers do not carry safety equipment in their vehicles. If this is you, there are still options. First off, never use water to extinguish flames. Water will cause both gas and oil to spread because both of these compounds sit atop water. If burning gas and oil spread, then so do the flames. Use sand or a heavy blanket to smother the flames and get the fire under control. Just remember this: Even if the flames die out and you have the fire under control, call 911 for help and advice. Let the trained professionals make sure the emergency is over.