Vehicles

Annunally, there are over 70,000 vehicle fire in the UK involving 70 fatalities and injuring over 500 casualties.

Many fires are started deliberately - either for fraudulent insurance purposes or to cover criminal activities. Such wilful fire raising is relatively easy for Fire Officers to identify. Many other vehicle fires, however, break out due simply to lack of basic maintenance and can be prevented.

Electrical

• Fires commonly start in the vehicle's electrical loom and are often due to DIY modifications causing short circuits.
• Check wiring on a routine basis, look for signs of wear and damage. Beware of bad connections and brittle insulation.
• All alterations and modifications to the vehicle's electrical system should be carried out by a competent person, preferably a qualified mechanic.

Petrol

• Fuel lines sometimes become punctured, disconnected or simply perforated due to wear or age.
• Petrol vapour readily ignites on contact with a stray spark - or simply in contact with hot engine parts, such as the exhaust manifold.
• Routinely check all fuel lines for undue wear and ensure all connections are sound.

Welding

• Explosive flash-overs can occur without warning, due to the presence of petrol vapour particularly at low levels. Unsuspecting welders have suffered serious burns and worse.
• Never use heat, naked flames or welding equipment near vehicle fuel tanks or fuel lines.

Common Sense

• Modern car interiors are largely composed of polymers, plastics and other synthetic materials - all of which are particularly flammable.
• The smoke and fumes from any outbreak of fire are highly toxic and can be deadly if inhaled.
• Simple common-sense and the proper use and disposal of matches and cigarettes will minimise the risk of fire.