Tata Indigo Catches fire

kicha · 15th March 2010, 15:10

Posting this on behalf of my friend, who owns a Tata Indigo.He had parked the car & had gone for shopping.Few minutes later, he returned to the spot only to see his car burning and people trying to douse it.Later the fire force personnel arrived and extinguished the flames.Witnesses say, they saw smokes coming out from under the hood and it erupted into flames.
Attaching the pictures.Location-Noida.

The car is now at the service center.He's waiting for the aprroval from the insurance company and they have agreed to release only 45% of the total expense (total being 2.4 Lakhs).Almost 20 days now and no progress in repairs so far.

Holyghost · 15th March 2010, 16:20

Was it short circuit which caused the fire?
And on what basis did insurance people came to 45% figure? Are we not supposed to get the amount based on the IDV?

greenhorn · 15th March 2010, 19:10

was this a petrol or a diesel?

vinaydas · 15th March 2010, 19:18

what is it with Tata's and fire??
every where you hear news about a car catching fire.Every one assumes that its a Tata.

never mind that.
has the reason for the fire been found out?

samsag12 · 15th March 2010, 19:21

Must have been fuel leakage somewhere near the battery, and the Hydrogen helped in burning. Even i suffered same incident few months back.

scuderiamania · 15th March 2010, 19:27

two questions.
1. @samsag12-where does the hydrogen come from?
2. why has the insurance company only agreed to pay 45% of the total damages? Although I don't have much idea but 45% seems just too low!

SPIKE ARRESTOR · 15th March 2010, 19:33

see the thick wiring harness that has been destroyed by fire, by the looks, it seems it is due to an electrical short circuit,

Spike

samsag12 · 15th March 2010, 20:29

scuderiamania Hydrogen gas is constantly produced by the Battery while charging or if overcharged. You cannot make out whether the gas is present or not. Its highly inflammable and any kind of spark and a little fuel can start fire. So Hydrogen gas is one element which can be the cause of fire. Other thing can be battery explosion. But depends on the condition of the battery. In this case the the reason for fire is clearly not battery explosion as battery has melted down and not cracked. So kind of possibility that short circuit may be the main cause of initial fire.

wanderernomad · 16th March 2010, 16:35

Can there be an electric spark in a stationary vehicle? And where did the magic figure of 45% come from?

GTO · 17th March 2010, 10:56

Kicha, by any chance, had your friend got after-market electrical accessories installed? A horn, autocop, stereo or similar? Most fires I've seen have been caused by improper installation of electronic fittings.

prince_pervez · 17th March 2010, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by kicha

Almost 20 days now and no progress in repairs so far.

What repairs are we looking at ? The engine bay is charred. IMO everything has to be replaced with brand new fittings in the bay.

mooza · 17th March 2010, 11:32

Kicha, lucky your friend did not get injured, since he was away.

Are the interiors burnt too?

Carrying a fire extinguisher in the car may help, I suppose, though the primary action should be to jump ship at the earliest, if caught in a situation like this

What's the reason for the insurance company not coughing up more than 45% for this?

thedreamcatcher · 17th March 2010, 12:40

Wow. Seen this happening to an Accent CRDi in my appartment in Gurgaon.

Around 11 PM, we heard some weird sound and inital thought when seeing people running were that some house was on fire.

On going down we saw the accent engine compartment up in flames. Will post pics later.

It was so intesnse, we were unable to open the hood of the car to douse the flames as it got molded to the body of the car. Took about an hour to douse the flames, but thankfully te rest of the car was spared.

Same case, where owner came home, keft his car and 20 minutes later it was up in flames.

Cause not known, atleast by me as we never followed up with the owner

wanderernomad · 17th March 2010, 13:11

This is scary reading.

f1fan · 17th March 2010, 13:26

The engine is burnt crisp.
Shouldnt this be a complete write-off instead of a rebuild?

15th March 2010, 15:10	#1
kicha BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: 18° 55' N, 72° 54' E Posts: 29 Thanked: 3 Times	Tata Indigo Catches fire Posting this on behalf of my friend, who owns a Tata Indigo.He had parked the car & had gone for shopping.Few minutes later, he returned to the spot only to see his car burning and people trying to douse it.Later the fire force personnel arrived and extinguished the flames.Witnesses say, they saw smokes coming out from under the hood and it erupted into flames. Attaching the pictures.Location-Noida. The car is now at the service center.He's waiting for the aprroval from the insurance company and they have agreed to release only 45% of the total expense (total being 2.4 Lakhs).Almost 20 days now and no progress in repairs so far. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

15th March 2010, 16:20	#2
Holyghost BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 593 Thanked: 1,129 Times	Was it short circuit which caused the fire? And on what basis did insurance people came to 45% figure? Are we not supposed to get the amount based on the IDV?
	() Thanks

15th March 2010, 19:10	#3
greenhorn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,745 Thanked: 4,401 Times View My Garage	was this a petrol or a diesel?
	() Thanks

15th March 2010, 19:18	#4
vinaydas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 1,399 Thanked: 148 Times	what is it with Tata's and fire?? every where you hear news about a car catching fire.Every one assumes that its a Tata. never mind that. has the reason for the fire been found out?
	() Thanks

15th March 2010, 19:21	#5
samsag12 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: City of Nawaabs Posts: 1,624 Thanked: 242 Times View My Garage	Must have been fuel leakage somewhere near the battery, and the Hydrogen helped in burning. Even i suffered same incident few months back.
	() Thanks

15th March 2010, 19:27	#6
scuderiamania BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Kolkata Posts: 363 Thanked: 172 Times	two questions. 1. @samsag12-where does the hydrogen come from? 2. why has the insurance company only agreed to pay 45% of the total damages? Although I don't have much idea but 45% seems just too low!
	() Thanks

15th March 2010, 19:33	#7
SPIKE ARRESTOR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 2,854 Thanked: 1,532 Times	see the thick wiring harness that has been destroyed by fire, by the looks, it seems it is due to an electrical short circuit, Spike
	() Thanks

15th March 2010, 20:29	#8
samsag12 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: City of Nawaabs Posts: 1,624 Thanked: 242 Times View My Garage	scuderiamania Hydrogen gas is constantly produced by the Battery while charging or if overcharged. You cannot make out whether the gas is present or not. Its highly inflammable and any kind of spark and a little fuel can start fire. So Hydrogen gas is one element which can be the cause of fire. Other thing can be battery explosion. But depends on the condition of the battery. In this case the the reason for fire is clearly not battery explosion as battery has melted down and not cracked. So kind of possibility that short circuit may be the main cause of initial fire.
	() Thanks

16th March 2010, 16:35	#9
wanderernomad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 2,534 Thanked: 1,276 Times View My Garage	Can there be an electric spark in a stationary vehicle? And where did the magic figure of 45% come from?
	() Thanks

17th March 2010, 10:56	#10
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,534 Thanked: 300,738 Times View My Garage	Kicha, by any chance, had your friend got after-market electrical accessories installed? A horn, autocop, stereo or similar? Most fires I've seen have been caused by improper installation of electronic fittings.
	() Thanks

17th March 2010, 11:32	#12
mooza Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,096 Thanked: 368 Times	Kicha, lucky your friend did not get injured, since he was away. Are the interiors burnt too? Carrying a fire extinguisher in the car may help, I suppose, though the primary action should be to jump ship at the earliest, if caught in a situation like this What's the reason for the insurance company not coughing up more than 45% for this? Last edited by mooza : 17th March 2010 at 11:33.
	() Thanks

17th March 2010, 12:40	#13
thedreamcatcher Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dubai Posts: 1,204 Thanked: 66 Times View My Garage	Wow. Seen this happening to an Accent CRDi in my appartment in Gurgaon. Around 11 PM, we heard some weird sound and inital thought when seeing people running were that some house was on fire. On going down we saw the accent engine compartment up in flames. Will post pics later. It was so intesnse, we were unable to open the hood of the car to douse the flames as it got molded to the body of the car. Took about an hour to douse the flames, but thankfully te rest of the car was spared. Same case, where owner came home, keft his car and 20 minutes later it was up in flames. Cause not known, atleast by me as we never followed up with the owner
	() Thanks

17th March 2010, 13:11	#14
wanderernomad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 2,534 Thanked: 1,276 Times View My Garage	This is scary reading.
	() Thanks

17th March 2010, 13:26	#15
f1fan BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 701 Thanked: 48 Times View My Garage	The engine is burnt crisp. Shouldnt this be a complete write-off instead of a rebuild?
	() Thanks