How and why do vehicles in crashes catch fire
- January 2, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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How and why do vehicles in crashes catch fire
Subject :Science and Technology
Context:
- Recently Rishabh Pant met with a tragic accident and his vehicle caught fire.
What triggers fire:
- Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles are not supposed to combust spontaneously. If they do end up bursting into flames after an accident, there could be multiple triggers:
- Fires could result from leaks from the fuel tank upon impact ,and as fuel lines are particularly susceptible to rupturing in a major crash. Even a minor leak, if ignited by a spark can trigger a fire. Flammable materials apart from the fuel, including engine oil, brake oil, or lubricants, can ignite when exposed to a spark or contact with really hot metal parts.
- Another trigger for fire could be defects in the vehicle’s electrical system or aftermarket modifications made by owners. Electrical system failures are typically triggered when the elaborate electrical wiring running along the length of the vehicle is damaged in an accident, resulting in severed cables or plugs that can then trigger sparks, which can start a small fire. This can then ignite the on board fuel, resulting in an inferno.
- There have also been instances of airbags exploding upon impact, triggering on board fires of the kind that were linked to a batch of airbags manufactured by the Japanese company Takata. But such an occurrence is extremely rare, and almost inevitably involves a defective air bag