You may have noticed a lot more fire trucks on the highways lately. A NewsRadio KDKA investigation reveals a sharp uptick in car fires around the region.
I've been tracking county, state, and national data, for answers about what’s behind this surge in vehicle fires and what you can do to stay safe.
In Allegheny County, emergency crews were dispatched to 378 vehicle fires in 2019. However, in 2021, there have been 334 vehicle fires in just the first 6 months. That’s an increase of more than 75%. (The data from 2020 is skewed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.) According to the Allegheny County Fire Marshal, the most common cause of fires has been heated fluids on hot engine surfaces that ignited.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), vehicle fires are most common between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., and they occur more frequently from May through August, peaking in July.
“Heat and electrical sparks, plus maybe leaking fluid, is all that it can take to start a car fire,” says Andrea Vastis, Director of Public Education at the National Fire Protection Association.
So what’s behind the sudden spike in car fires?
NFPA reports the leading causes of vehicle fires is mechanical failures or malfunctions and electrical failures or malfunctions. Tires play a larger role in large truck and bus fires than in car fires. Older vehicles account for 75% of highway vehicle fires, but when newer vehicles catch on fire, it’s typically in electric or hybrid vehicles and the fire starts in the battery power system.
“If you have a lithium ion battery - a battery powered vehicle – and you notice a change in the color or shape, some leaking, or odd noises, you don’t want to take any risks with this,” says Vastis.
Vehicle fires can literally be a drain on resources. In an email to NewsRadio KDKA, Kraig Herman, Public Education Specialist with the PA Fire Commissioner’s officer says “I can tell you that recently around the U.S. there have been fires in Tesla cars due to the battery. It takes copious amounts (30,000 gallons) of water to extinguish one. In turn, Tesla is saying at this point, it’s best to let them burn themselves out.”
Statewide data on car fires also shows an increase, although it’s a bit murky. PennDOT tracks if a vehicle involved in a reportable car crash caught fire or exploded, though these incidents may be underreported due to confusion on what constitutes a reportable crash. If a mechanical issue leading to a fire occurs on the roadway, it’s a reportable crash. If a vehicle pulls over and then catches fire, the incident is not considered a reportable crash. Data for 2021 is not yet available. However, car fires were down just about 20% from 2019 to 2020, despite a significant reduction in traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nationally, there’s also some cause for alarm. Between 2014 and 2016, there were more than 170,000 vehicle fires reported on U.S. highways. The average fatality rate was 345 deaths. These fires also resulted in more than $1 billion in property loss each year. The numbers ticked down a bit between 2016 and 2017, but the positive trend was short-lived. In 2018, there were roughly 181,500 highway vehicle fires reported in the United States, and in 2019, there were an estimated 189,500. More recent data is not yet available.
What can you do to prevent a car fire?
Safety experts say you should: 1) Watch out for fuses that blow repeatedly. 2) Keep an eye out for oil and other fluid leaks under the vehicle. 3) Watch for crooked or loose wiring and any exposed metal. 4) Be aware of rapid changes in fuel levels, oil levels, or engine temperature. 5) Check for broken or loose hoses and missing caps.
And what should you do if your car is overheating, you smell smoke, or see flames?
1) Pull over and park your car
2) Turn off the ignition
3) Get everyone out of the car
4) Stay at least 100 feet from the car
5) Call 911
“As soon as you stop, turn off that engine move away from that car. This is not the time to hope things go well,” says Vastis.
*It’s also worth noting that while hybrid and electric vehicles have become more common, existing data collection systems have not yet adequately captured the frequency of fires involving these specific vehicles, according to the NFPA.