When your Car goes up in flames

The driver of a car had a lucky escape after the car rammed a median near Akkulam late on Thursday, with the car going up in flames in the impact of the collision. According to the police, Pradeep of Poovar was on his way home from Kazhakuttam around 9 p.m. on Thursday when he reportedly lost control of the Maruti WagonR car, owned by his brother-in-law, and crashed into the median. Pradeep managed to get out of the car which immediately caught fire and was gutted.

 

A family was caught in a terrifying situation when they were forced to abandon their car on the road after it caught fire. The vehicle overheated while traveling through the main city. Instead of calling for help, people on the spot were busy clicking photographs and making videos. Vehicle fires are one of the scariest things that can happen with anyone. What should you do under such circumstances?

 

CAUSE OF FIRE:
Find out the cause of fire and prevent it if possible. Stop the car. There’s rarely a single cause for any given car fire, trace all the way back to the incident that sparked the blaze. There may be a combination of causes: human causes, mechanical causes, and chemical causes, and they all worked together to create an incredibly dangerous situation. Once a vehicle’s on fire, any number of factors can complicate things.

 

CALL FIRE BRIGADE:
If your car is on fire, don’t worry about whether the engine was overheated or what fluid you might have spilled. Use sand or available water to extinguish it. If you do not have any means to put your car fire out, make sure to call the Fire Brigade as soon as possible. Often car fires cause a vehicle to be a total loss.

 

IMMEDIATE STEPS:
If your car catches fire, remain calm and follow these steps:
Signal and move immediately to the left lane.
Shut off the engine while getting yourself and all passengers out of car.
Get at least 150 feet away, to a safe and secure area.
Warn onlookers/pedestrians to keep away, and signal oncoming traffic.

 

INFORM INSURANCE COMPANY:
Car fires are always a scary situation and can obviously do a lot of damage. Car fires can occur in a couple of different ways. Comprehensive coverage will cover the fire damage to your car regardless of what caused the fire. It is important you purchase the coverage on your car before the loss occurs.

 

PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGES:
If you smell something burning, shutting off the engine will stop the flow of fuel and may prevent a full-blown fire. Take the valuables/flammables out of car. If the fire is in the rear of the vehicle near the gas tank, get away quickly. Only a professional should attempt to douse fires of this sort.

 

DETECT THIRD PARTY LOSS:
Risk against legal liability due to fire resulting in the permanent injury or death of a person, and damage caused to the surrounding property is covered in your Comprehensive policy. Immediately inform such loss/damage to your insurer.

 

The safe driving and regular maintenance are important to reduce your chances of being involved in fire incidents. Sometimes vehicle engines can catch on fire due to mechanical problems. While car insurance policies do not typically cover mechanical failure, fire is the exception. For example, if you are driving on the highway and the engine becomes engulfed in flames, the loss is payable under your comprehensive car policy. However, “Fire loss is a national loss.”