[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by Vishid

All of this came to an abrupt and disheartening end on 25 September 2018. The car, which was serviced only two weeks before, was parked inside our compound, in an extension to our actual car porch. Since the Scorpio was used only occasionally, it occupied the inner porch. The duster was parked there since morning. By about 11:30 pm, one of our neighbours saw flames erupting from the car.

Before the fire force came and put out the fire, the whole car burned down completely.

Really sad incident. Sorry for your loss.

Can you post few more pictures of the car from various angles?

It is really surprising that a car parked and locked, with ignition OFF, caught fire. Few questions from my end:
Were the windows completely rolled up? Was any material or luggage stored in the car? Where did the fire start (you can ask the eye witnesses)? Which portion of car has undergone maximum and minimum fire damage?

I hope that the insurance indemnifies you.

[scorpian]

Shocking indeed. Sorry for your loss.

Do you have cctv installed in your house? or any neighbors house facing towards your house which may shed some light if somebody has played mischief and actually lit a fire to your car. I am not sure but you should probe this angle too.

Hope you have filed a complaint and intimated insurance company as well.If not then please do not delay.Meanwhile has renault replied to any communication from your side?

[Vishid]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Hi Vishid,

Really feel sorry for your loss. Good that your family is safe and more importantly kudos to your father who saved the house and the other car from getting seriously damaged.

Any idea about the source of the fire? Could it be arson or electrical short circuit? Has the Insurance co been communicated regarding the incident? I feel a FIR in this case would also be better, I leave it to experts to debate on this.

Hi Ghodlur,

Thank you for the kind words. Yes, my father displayed immense courage and presence of mind at the time of the incident. I have to admit that I wouldn't have done half of what he has, in the face of such an unexpected incident. I don't know what was the source of the fire. I don't think this is a case of arson, given the time of the incident and the nature of our neighbourhood. The insurance company has been communicated. An FIR was filed, and policemen visited our home to take statements.

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

Sorry to hear about the incident and glad that no one is hurt.

Is there any accessories added to the car? Be it from the A.S.S or outside. I could see from one of your post that the car met with an accident recently, could you share some more details and snaps on the same?

Hi Mr.Boss,

Thank you for the kind words. No accessories were added to the car. The accident you mentioned was a minor one. It did some damage to the bumper, and right suspension elements. I am sorry, I do not currently have any snaps of that incident.

Originally Posted by Nalin1

My Goodness! What a tragedy!

A parked car that just caught fire out of the blue? Do you have any further information? Like anything that was left running or any modifications done?

I think a proper investigation will reveal the cause. If it turns out to be an out and out manufacturing defect, we can flag it to Renault through our forum or through any other means.

Hi Nalin1,

I was informed that the car was parked in the porch since morning. It was locked, and nothing was left running. We didn't do any modifications to the car. I do not know the real reason for the fire.

Originally Posted by Rahul Bhalgat

Really sad incident. Sorry for your loss.

Can you post few more pictures of the car from various angles?

It is really surprising that a car parked and locked, with ignition OFF, caught fire. Few questions from my end:

Were the windows completely rolled up? Was any material or luggage stored in the car? Where did the fire start (you can ask the eye witnesses)? Which portion of car has undergone maximum and minimum fire damage?

I hope that the insurance indemnifies you.

Hi Rahul Bhalgat,

Thank you for the kind words. I do not currently possess any more pictures. Though I was sent many from various angles, I couldn't bear to look at them, and deleted most except for the few you saw above. Anyways, I will try to upload more once I get over the incident completely.

The windows were all rolled up during the time of the incident. No luggage or material was inside the car. Regarding the start of the fire, as I have mentioned in the post, the first witness was our neighbour. He saw the fire only after it started burning. So I can't give a precise answer. The rear has undergone maximum damage. The damages to the front are a little less compared to that. Yes, I also hope that the insurance company will help us.

Originally Posted by scorpian

Shocking indeed. Sorry for your loss.

Do you have cctv installed in your house? or any neighbors house facing towards your house which may shed some light if somebody has played mischief and actually lit a fire to your car. I am not sure but you should probe this angle too.

Hope you have filed a complaint and intimated insurance company as well.If not then please do not delay.Meanwhile has renault replied to any communication from your side?

Hi Scorpian

Thank you for the kind words. We doesn't have CCTV installed. But l strongly believe that arson is out of question in this case. The time of the incident (11:30 pm), and the considerably active neighbourhood we have are my reasons for believing so. Yes we have filed a complaint, and informed the insurance company too. Sadly, Renault has not replied to any of our communications till now.

Best regards
Vishid

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by Vishid

The windows were all rolled up during the time of the incident. No luggage or material was inside the car. Regarding the start of the fire, as I have mentioned in the post, the first witness was our neighbour. He saw the fire only after it started burning. So I can't give a precise answer. The rear has undergone maximum damage. The damages to the front are a little less compared to that. Yes, I also hope that the insurance company will help us.

Even under hazardous conditions, one needs a trigger for the fire. Some spark, some flame. Spontaneous combustion is possible with some materials under specific conditions but it is unlikely at 11:30 in the night and in the absence of any luggage / material stored in the car.

So, if the car catches fire at 11:30 in the night when it was switched off since morning, if there is minimum damage in the front and maximum in the rear / cabin, then please do not overlook arson. It is rare for the fire not to start in the engine compartment.

Close scrutiny of the car may reveal possible reasons. Since you are not present at home, you can suggest your father to be with the surveyor when he inspects the car. A good surveyor may be able to identify arson.

[SmartCat]

Do you have rat problems? According to this study, rats were responsible for majority of automobile fires in Mumbai
https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumba...jOF0Y4mlL.html

A fire is a result of human, mechanical and chemical factors. In most cases, a short-circuit caused by worn-out wiring emerged as a factor responsible for these fires,” said city fire brigade chief Prabhat Rahandgale, who conducted the survey. “In a majority of cases, the wirings had ruptured because of rats.”

Automobile expert Hormazd Sorabjee said vehicle fires in Mumbai have more to do with the rodent menace than other mechanical or human factors. “Although rats are a problem for vehicles across the world, it is more so in Mumbai because of their overwhelming presence,” he said. To get rid of the problem, Sorabjee urged owners to keep rat repellants in vehicles. “One should keep the car in a secure place and use it regularly,” he said.

Meanwhile, the fire brigade chief sought to issue an advisory for vehicle owners to avoid fires. “Firstly, people should use rat repellents both inside and outside the car. Fire extinguishers are a must in every vehicle. Finally, regular maintenance of vehicle helps find damage to the electrical circuits, if any,” said Rahandgale.

[Vishid]

Originally Posted by Rahul Bhalgat

Even under hazardous conditions, one needs a trigger for the fire. Some spark, some flame. Spontaneous combustion is possible with some materials under specific conditions but it is unlikely at 11:30 in the night and in the absence of any luggage / material stored in the car.

So, if the car catches fire at 11:30 in the night when it was switched off since morning, if there is minimum damage in the front and maximum in the rear / cabin, then please do not overlook arson. It is rare for the fire not to start in the engine compartment.

Close scrutiny of the car may reveal possible reasons. Since you are not present at home, you can suggest your father to be with the surveyor when he inspects the car. A good surveyor may be able to identify arson.

Hi Rahul Bhalgat,

We can't say for sure that the fire didn't start in the engine bay. The damages to the front are not minimal. It is a little lesser than the rear damages. I thought that the position of the fuel tank has something to do with this.But as you said, a trigger is needed for any fire. I'll let you know if the surveyor reaches any conclusion regarding the trigger.

Originally Posted by smartcat

Do you have rat problems? According to this study, rats were responsible for majority of automobile fires in Mumbai
https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumba...jOF0Y4mlL.html

Hi smartcat,

We do not have a rampant rat presence in our area. However, rats are not rare either. So I will not rule out such a possibility. Since electrical short circuit seems a possible reason for the fire, any reason for it happening can be the real reason.

Best regards
Vishid

[Vishid]

Further to my above post, I would also like to point out the slack response we are receiving from TVS Renault service centre. The service centre was informed about the incident when it happened itself. However, till now, they have not provided any assistance to us. They couldn't even arrange a hydraulic crane for transporting the car to the dealership. They simply said a crane is not available with them, and we will have to find one ourselves! Remember, the car is still under warranty. When service centres behave so lethargically in times of such crises, the exasperation cannot be expressed in words. The car was serviced barely two weeks ago from the same service centre. The manufacturer is of no exception to this slack response. Renault India failed to even acknowledge our email communication.

Best regards,
Vishid

[Ithaca]

Following video received on Whatsapp.
A Honda City caught fire under Chakala metro station causing suspension of metro services on 24th Oct 2018.
No casualties reported - touchwood.

Found it on You Tube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzKdIDyzQc0

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpUB1m5H...=1woiajww4rnuk

Article

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by Vishid

Further to my above post, I would also like to point out the slack response we are receiving from TVS Renault service centre.

Vishid, I hope you should have some updates.
Keeping aside the route cause and what went wrong stuffs, how about the progress with insurance?

[zaveed]

Honda City Catches Fire on a flyover in Gurugram near Delhi.



"Rakesh Chandel, the driver, had gone to distribute Diwali gifts to his relatives and was reportedly on his way home when at a flyover near Cybercity, his Honda City car suddenly caught fire.

He jumped out of the moving car and was seen running behind it. The burning car, still moving, rammed another vehicle and a road divider before stopping. There was a small blast and the flames leapt up ".


Source : https://www.ndtv.com/gurgaon-news/dr...-lateststories

[volkman10]

Ford Endeavour catches fire – Owner burnt to death.

This is the second reported incident of Ford Endeavour SUV catching fire in India.

In an unfortunate incident earlier today, well known local businessman and builder Mihir Panchal was burnt to death in his Ford Endeavour SUV

Link

[Vik0728]

Ford Endeavour Owner Burnt to Death As A Month Old SUV Caught Fire in Gujarat

Very unfortunate incident, and may God give strength to kith and kin.

An excerpt from the first hand report:

An unfortunate incident was reported during Tuesday morning, wherein a well-known local businessman and builder, Mihir Panchal was burnt to death when his brand new Ford Endeavour SUV suddenly caught massive fire. According to the local media, the 42-year old business was traveling in a month old Ford Endeavour when the incident took place around 11 am. However, the exact reason of SUV getting engulfed into flame is not known yet

Youtube video of the news report:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUMcaGBBg8E

[phamilyman]

Airtel network saves lives. But not how you think it might.

Today evening I was out grocery shopping at a nearby shopping complex. I couldn't enter since the call would surely have disconnected. I was lounging around, when I noticed smoke coming out of the bonnet of a car parked one car behind mine.

Together with another passersby, we raised an alarm, got the car ahead of it moved and found the owner. He opened the bonnet, only to discover that the smoke was thickening. While others suggested a fire extinguisher from the building, I retrieved the half kilo fire extinguisher from under the navigator seat. This was just in time before a moron landed up with a bucket of water!!!!



We were in time - there was only smoke and no fire. It reduced enough with the foam that I was able to disconnect the positive terminal of the battery to starve the short circuit.

The reason we assessed was that the 10 year old car had been for a pressure wash a day or so prior.

We learned another little nugget - in that model of the Fiesta, the boot is electrically operated only.

Anyhow - request all to keep large enough fire extinguisher with them - this gent was serendipitious: I was next to his car, we could locate him and open the bonnet, the cheap charlie 7 year old fire extinguisher worked, and I had the tools to disconnect the battery. You may not be so lucky as a poster on this thread just highlighted.

[lambuhere1]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Anyhow - request all to keep large enough fire extinguisher with them - this gent was serendipitious:.

Great Efforts Brother.

Any recommended brand of Fire Extinguisher to be looked into ?

Have explored many brand reviews, but all appear to have their pros and cons.

Appreciate help

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

Great Efforts Brother.

Any recommended brand of Fire Extinguisher to be looked into ?

Have explored many brand reviews, but all appear to have their pros and cons.

Appreciate help

I frankly think it's a commodity so any decent brand would work. It's not a car. It's a very simple mechanical device. Just keep one or two, be alert and the rest isn't in our hands. Don't over engineer it.