UAE motorists urged not to leave e-cigarettes in cars amid fire fears

UAE motorists urged not to leave e-cigarettes in cars amid fire fears

Dubai’s emergency services have issued a warning to motorists not to leave e-cigarettes in cars, which could start fires.

The warning comes as fire chiefs are concerned that leaving e-cigarettes and vaping devices in a vehicle could lead to a fire as temperatures rise in summer. Smoking devices and other battery-powered gadgets can be extremely vulnerable to heat, causing them to melt and burst into flames. Everyday household items such as lighters, batteries, power banks, e-scooters, electric cigarettes, perfume bottles and gas cans can start fires if left in cars.

In the first three months of this year, Dubai’s emergency services responded to 94 reports of blazes involving cars, buses and lorries. Some of these were the result of crashes, whereas the remaining other fires were linked to fuel leaks, engines overheating and other factors. According to official data, 12 people were killed in 1,098 car fires last year. Additionally, in 2021 there were 314 car fires in Abu Dhabi and 276 in Dubai.

A social media post by the UAE’s General Command of Civil Defence said: “When temperatures rise, make sure these items are not left in your car because all of them could explode.”

As the mercury rises, heat becomes trapped inside parked vehicles, and can be much worse than the temperature outside.

Thomas Edelman, managing director of Road Safety UAE, told The National: “Authorities warn against keeping all objects that have the ability to ignite such as the items mentioned.

“This is the reason why airlines are very cautious about these items.

“Imagine how much warmer batteries can get when left inside cars during the hotter weather. They can react and potentially explode which poses great danger.

“When temperatures rise, gases can form more easily and a spark can basically ignite those gases and lead to a fire.”