[tazmaan]

Really sad incident. RIP!

Isn't the boot release mechanism on most of the hatchbacks a pull type system which is mechanical in nature? Would it be possible to open the boot and exit from the rear hatch? I am not sure if Beat has a lever type boot release (like suzuki cars) or innova type rear hatch which is linked to central locking.

I feel a small hammer should be made compulsory in cars along with a small fire extinguisher.

[Vigkey]

Originally Posted by tazmaan

I feel a small hammer should be made compulsory in cars along with a small fire extinguisher.

If I understand correctly, the adjustable head-rests are also a safety feature wherein it can be removed and used to break glass to escape in case of accidents, fire, etc. i.e. in cases where is the occupant is trapped inside and is not able to open the door. However, not many know this and drivers are not educated on this. In a moment of panic, most will try to open the door using conventional method and if it fails, sadly, will be frozen and prepared to face death.

Experts correct me if I am wrong on the adjustable headrests part.

[braindead]

Maybe the reason the driver could not escape was carbon monoxide poisoning. It's odorless and you don't realize you are affected. It reduces brain function, so maybe the driver got confused and couldn't figure out how to exit even with the mechanical unlocking mechanism. Probably the CO started seeping into the cabin much before the fire was evident to the driver.

[malgudi]

Very Sad and unfortunate incident. While the reason needs investigation, As a safety Tip - If your car has removable headrest, remove that and use the steel rod of the headrest to break the window glass. Also do carry a Scissor in dashboard just in case you need to cut the seat belt.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

It shall be possible to unlock the doors from inside when the electronics fails for whatever reason, be it flood or fire or anything else.

This verification shall be a part of product approval / certification for the car.

Somewhere on Team-BHP, I had read a recommendation about keeping a small hammer in the glove box. A good recommendation indeed! At least you can break the glass and somehow jump out.

Originally Posted by malgudi

Very Sad and unfortunate incident. While the reason needs investigation, As a safety Tip - If your car has removable headrest, remove that and use the steel rod of the headrest to break the window glass. Also do carry a Scissor in dashboard just in case you need to cut the seat belt.

Using removable headrest to break the glass is a very good suggestion Malgudi. I will convey this to everyone in my contact list on Whatsapp.

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by Rahul Bhalgat

Using removable headrest to break the glass is a very good suggestion Malgudi. I will convey this to everyone in my contact list on Whatsapp.

The only thing being the presence of mind during that situation to attempt it.

There was a Captiva fire incident reported by a BHPian before (link (My Horror Story: Chevrolet Captiva on Fire!)).

[humyum]

I have never seen a central locking not open by mere hands incase the electronic fails. Its as simple as just lifting that pin or turning the lock knob on the Maruti's. Even if you remove the battery, that thing will manually still open. No two ways about it.

I think the word about this needs to be spread, the man in this incident must have panicked and tried the electronic unlock switch in the panic not realizing that he could have just lifted the pink and door would have been unlocked.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by tazmaan

Really sad incident. RIP!

Isn't the boot release mechanism one most of the hatchbacks a pull type system which is mechanical in nature? Would it be possible to open the boot and exit from the rear hatch?

A good suggestion indeed. Will share this with all my contacts on Whatsapp.

As a precaution, during our visit to the service station, we shall get the knowledge of which seals and hoses are critical for the fire risk. These shall be inspected at regular intervals.

I hope that the insurance company will entertain the claim on the occupant's life and the car damage.

[anish5225]

The push/pull type door unlock button will not work with the battery disconnected. This is how it is on my Chevy Optra. If that button is depressed and the electricity is cut, it is extremely difficult/impossible to pull it out with bare fingers. May be it is possible with something like a plier...

[RSR]

This is terrible and tragic. May the victim's soul rest in peace. I can't imagine what this family are going through now. It must have been a terrible thing for those present at the scene, witnessing the horror and not being able to intervene due to the intensity of the fire.

We may never know what happened. The central locking mechanism could have jammed, or the victim could have panicked due to the fire's intensity, or could have lost consciousness due to CO poisoning as mentioned before.

The Chevrolet Sail does have a manual lock-unlock lever on each door. Having that little individual lock-unlock lever (either near the inside door handle or on the window sill) on each door is such a good thing (provided it does include a manual override and deadlocks are absent), for it's a far better engineering design than having no individual door lock-unlock lever. The worst engineering design is coupling those crappy deadlocks (a supposed additional security feature) together with the absence of individual door lock-unlock levers, as preferred by a few European manufacturers. I can't think of a more horrible & untrustworthy door locking mechanism than that, for it's the epitome of poor engineering design. Such rubbish should be deemed unsafe and disallowed when the new India-specific safety norms are put in place.

[NiInJa]

That was very unfortunate. RIP.

I always recommend people to keep the wheel wrench (or anything hard that can break the window) in the glove box or a handy place in the car.

Correct me if I am wrong, aren't all cars equipped with a Fire Prevention system ? I remember something of that sort is present in Fiat Linea where the doors unlock automatically.

[naikameya]

Originally Posted by Vigkey

If I understand correctly, the adjustable head-rests are also a safety feature wherein it can be removed and used to break glass to escape in case of accidents, fire, etc. i.e. in cases where is the occupant is trapped inside and is not able to open the door. However, not many know this and drivers are not educated on this. In a moment of panic, most will try to open the door using conventional method and if it fails, sadly, will be frozen and prepared to face death.

Experts correct me if I am wrong on the adjustable headrests part.

Even I had heard this in many articles but not sure of it since the glass is a toughened one and many require a sharper object to break it.

Alternatively you can try opening the rear hatch door in case of hatchback. At least my Jazz has a small rectangle plastic cover which can be removed and there is a steel cable that you can pull to open the hatch door. I know this might not be common on all cars. But at least we can explore which all cars have it and report here.

that is another point for hatchback(over sub 4m sedan) and especially Jazz

[p'arth]

Originally Posted by Vigkey

If I understand correctly, the adjustable head-rests are also a safety feature wherein it can be removed and used to break glass to escape in case of accidents, fire, etc. i.e. in cases where is the occupant is trapped inside and is not able to open the door. However, not many know this and drivers are not educated on this. In a moment of panic, most will try to open the door using conventional method and if it fails, sadly, will be frozen and prepared to face death.

Experts correct me if I am wrong on the adjustable headrests part.

In western countries this is a standard safety lesson imparted that whenever locked inside use the metal inserts of head rest to break window glass. In western countries its less to do with fire but more to do with cold and icy weather that can often jam doors and electronics. Also applicable in case the car is drowning with passenger inside (due to an accident).

In India most budget cars come with non-removable fixed type head rest. In such cars this method will not be useful.

[IshaanIan]

Unlike a few nonsense-ical countries, India does not have a law restricting manufacturers from having an inside boot release button and in cheaper cars this is usually an entirely mechanical operation. Also, one can detach a head rest and use the metal rods to break their windows. Just a few important things among many that I believe people ought to be educated on before getting a license or during delivery of a car. Terrible way for a man to go.. hope he had friends and family that can put pressure on Chevrolet to investigate the matter and hopefully rectify and compensate

[autohead115]

Very sad indeed.

I'm pretty sure this has been shared already on Team BHP already but just in case anyone is searching for the demonstration of how to use adjustable headrests to break open the window and door..here is it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZTa8Nh0VlE