S’pore Driver Manages To Escape Safely While BMW Burst Into Flames On BKE

Vehicles on the roads bursting into flames suddenly are, unfortunately, not unheard of.

While sometimes, it happened when no one’s in the car; at other times, it happens when the driver is driving peacefully along the roads.

Facebook user Lester Cher was one such person who went through this harrowing experience.

A Burning Smell

According to his Facebook post, the incident happened on 6 Mar 2021 when he was driving along BKE towards PIE.

The first thing that tipped him off that something isn’t right was the burning smell.

He thought nothing of it, thinking that it could’ve come from the ambient air outside the car.

However, he noticed white smoke coming out from the aircon on the passenger side.

Alarmed, he pulled to the side of the road to inspect the vehicle.

It was noted that there were no warning signs on the car’s dashboard and the engine was fine.

The smoke started getting darker and heavier.

Burning Fuse Box

Suspecting that there could be a problem with the fuse box, he opened up the lid in the glove compartment, and there, he found the source of the problem.

Sparkling noises could be heard and a fire had started.

Immediately, he situated himself a safe distance away from the car and dialed 995 for help.

The EMAS (Expressway Monitoring Advisory Service) turned up to help put out the fire with a portable fire extinguisher to no avail.

It was only when SCDF turned up that the fire was put out within 5 minutes.

He added that he had no modifications done to his vehicle and that his fuse was replaced just two days ago on 4 Mar 2021 by BMW Singapore.

While shaken and traumatised by the incident, Cher was also glad that he managed to escape the incident unharmed.

You can read his full Facebook post below:

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

What To Do If Your Car Catches Fire

According to Budget Direct, the two most common causes of car fires are fuel leaks and electrical system failures.

Some signs of a fuel leak include:

• A strong smell of petrol while driving
• Poor fuel economy
• Rough idling

If you smell or see smoke or think your car may catch fire, you need to get out of your car immediately, because there are so many flammable components in a car and it could cause an explosion within seconds of you discovering smoke.

Once you’re out, resist the impulse to walk away from an exploding car like movie stars do, because all you’ll end up with is your hair on fire.

Instead, call 995 and make sure bystanders keep away from your burning car.

Featured Image: Facebook (Lester Cher)