A vehicle fire is an undesired conflagration (uncontrolled burning) involving a motor vehicle. Also termed car fire or auto fire, it is one of the more common causes of fire-related property damage.
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A motor vehicle contains many types of flammable materials, including flammable liquids like gasoline and oil as well as solid combustibles such as hose. Fuel leaks from ruptured fuel lines also can rapidly ignite.
Vehicles house multiple potential sources of ignition including electrical devices that may short circuits, hot exhaust systems, and modern car devices such as air bag detonators.
Also, car batteries pose a fairly unique hazard in themselves: hydrogen gas evolved in the electrolysis reaction ignites readily in fire conditions and can result in an explosive dispersion of battery acid. Electric and hybrid cars have large batteries, usually NiMH, lead-acid, or Li-ion. Besides the obvious hazard of electric shock, these batteries can create other hazards. Li-ion batteries can explode rapidly and in chain reaction. Lead-acid batteries can release hydrogen or melt and leak sulfuric acid. Ni-MH batteries can burn and leak chemicals as well, but their hazards are usually less severe. Most large batteries for electric cars or hybrids have built-in safety features to prevent the battery from starting a fire such as smoke detectors, temperature sensors, and overcharge protection.
In the UK, accidental car fires are declining[1] but deliberate car fires (arson) are increasing. Most car fires are deliberate in the UK. It is common for joyriders to set fire to stolen cars: abandoned cars are commonly set on fire by vandals. Around two cars out every thousand registered in the UK catch fire each year.[2][3]
It is often the case in non-arson auto fires that the bulk of the fire is (at least initially) contained in the engine compartment of the vehicle. In most vehicles, the passenger compartment is protected from engine compartment fire by a firewall.
While some cases of deliberate car fires are isolated incidents, committed clandestinely, the practice is publicly performed by either rioters and revelers, with little to no retribution. Examples include:
The recommended action in case of car fire is:[4][5]
The last is important due to the risk of explosion and the toxic fumes emanating from vehicles fires. Inhalation of toxic fumes is the most common form of fire-related death.
Opening the hood (bonnet) of a car which may be on fire is especially dangerous, as it allows a rapid and significant surge of air into the engine compartment, which may cause a rapid increase in fire intensity. Some countries require the carrying of a fire extinguisher. This should not be seen as overriding the advice above. It has been suggested that, when using a fire extinguisher on an engine fire, the extinguisher should be fully discharged through the gap created by simply releasing (but not lifting) the hood, and then the car should be left until the fire crew have pronounced it safe. As with all fires, residual hot spots may cause the fire to flare up again when fresh oxygen is supplied.