Want to catch fire? No way! Four major hidden dangers that can cause a truck to spontaneously combust

In the scorching summer, the hot and stuffy weather makes it really uncomfortable for us to drive trucks outside. Besides that, high temperatures can also trigger a series of fire hazards, such as vehicle spontaneous combustion and cargo fires. Here, we have listed several potential fire hazard points in our trucks, hoping that everyone can address them promptly to prevent fires from occurring.

● Hidden Danger 1: Circuit Fire

Many truck fires are caused by electrical circuit fires. What causes circuit fires? The author identifies two main reasons: first, high electricity usage causes heavy circuit loads that generate heat and ignite spontaneously; second, aging or damaged circuits can lead to grounding with the vehicle body (short circuits), causing excessive heat and sparks, which can ignite the circuit and spread throughout the entire vehicle. The circuits that catch fire are usually located around the engine and may have some oil stains. Therefore, when an overloaded circuit overheats and sparks, these oil stains can fuel the flames and quickly escalate the fire.

An important factor that can escalate a fire is the presence of oil stains around the engine. So, where do these oil stains come from? A large portion of the oil stains on the engine comes from areas such as the valve cover, oil filter, and crankcase ventilation box, as well as diesel leaking from diesel lines. When a fire occurs around the engine, these oil stains act as fuel, causing the fire to spread rapidly.

● Hidden Risk Two: Wheel Hub and Brake System Fires

Fires caused by trailer axles are also not uncommon. One reason is the lack of timely maintenance of trailer wheel hubs. When the internal grease decreases or deteriorates and lubrication conditions worsen, the temperature of the wheel hub rises, which can cause the grease inside the hub to ignite, leading to a fire in the rear trailer and potentially affecting the entire vehicle. In addition, excessive or insufficient wheel hub bearing clearance, bearings running on the outer edge, bent axle tubes, excessive axle oil seals, sticking relay valves, sticking master cylinders, and even too much grease in the wheel hub can all lead to excessive temperatures.

Apart from issues with the trailer wheel hubs, if the gap of the trailer brake pads is too small or the brakes suddenly lock up, long periods of braking can also cause the temperature of the brake drum to rise sharply. The grease inside the hub can flow into the brake drum due to high temperatures, potentially causing sparks that ignite the tires. Once the tires catch fire, the tarpaulin and cargo in the trailer can also catch fire. 

● Hidden Risk Three: Trailer Cargo Fire

We often see accidents online where calcium carbide reacts with water, causing spontaneous combustion and the entire vehicle to be destroyed. Never take excessive risks for the sake of a single transport profit, as it is not worth it. When transporting goods, it is essential to understand the type of cargo. Flammable and explosive materials must never be transported, as they easily cause fires. Transporting flammable or explosive goods requires the vehicle to have hazardous materials transport qualifications; using a regular vehicle for such transport is illegal.

When transporting flammable goods such as paper products or cotton, it is essential to secure them tightly and cover them properly with tarpaulins. Some drivers habitually flick lit cigarette butts out of the vehicle while driving, but if a cigarette butt happens to fall into a compartment carrying flammable goods, it can easily cause a fire. A tarpaulin covering can block the cigarette butt, making it difficult for it to enter the compartment, thereby preventing a fire. 

● Hidden Danger Four: Fire in the Cab

In summer, the temperature inside the cab can be quite high, reaching over 70°C. Storing flammable and explosive items such as lighters, rust removers, or alcohol inside the cab in such high-temperature conditions is very dangerous. These items can easily ignite spontaneously in the hot cab, causing a fire. Therefore, drivers are strongly advised not to store such items in the cab when parking in the summer.

In the summer, to prevent mosquito bites, drivers often choose to light mosquito coils to repel mosquitoes. However, when using mosquito coils, caution is needed: do not place flammable items such as tickets or maps nearby. You can use a tray specifically designed for mosquito coils, and also make sure the lit coil is placed securely to prevent it from falling and igniting other items.

After talking about how high temperatures in summer can easily cause fires, let's discuss precautions for winter. In winter, when we sleep in the car, we usually use an electric blanket to keep warm. If an electric blanket is of poor quality or works for a long time, it can easily cause a fire. Therefore, extra caution should be taken when using an electric blanket in winter. Make sure to turn off the blanket when leaving the car to prevent accidents.

In addition, during winter, we also use a parking heater for warmth. The surroundings, air outlets, and exhaust outlets of the parking heater become very hot when in operation, especially the exhaust outlet, which can reach temperatures over 140 degrees Celsius. Therefore, do not store flammable items near the parking heater to prevent fire hazards.

● Stay Away from Fire – You Should Follow These Points

1. Keep up with regular vehicle maintenance, especially for the wheel hubs and brakes. Also, strengthen daily vehicle inspections and check whether the vehicle’s wiring is aging or damaged. If there are any issues, replace or repair them promptly.

2. Check if there are any oil leaks in the fuel lines, and inspect parts like the valve cover and crankcase ventilation box for oil seepage. Clean any oil stains on the engine and repair the leaking areas.

3. Equip your vehicle with a fire extinguisher and know how to use it correctly. Regularly check the pressure gauge of the fire extinguisher, and if the pressure is too low, replace it.

4. Avoid driving while fatigued. Fatigue driving is a commonly discussed yet highly dangerous issue. I have personally witnessed an accident where fatigue driving led to a rear-end collision, causing the vehicle to catch fire and the driver to be burned alive. Therefore, do not drive while tired.

5. Purchase spontaneous combustion insurance. When buying vehicle insurance, remember to include spontaneous combustion coverage. If your vehicle ever catches fire, this insurance can reduce your losses. Therefore, it is recommended to buy spontaneous combustion insurance.

6. Lastly, in case of a fire, remember to prioritize saving people over belongings. Do not let attachment to property lead to personal injury or death.

● Editor's Note:

A fire can set you back to square one financially overnight, so during the hot summer days, we need to take care to maintain and repair our vehicles to reduce the risk of fire. At the same time, when selecting cargo, we should avoid taking risks by hauling flammable or explosive goods. Driving safety is crucial for us truck drivers, and many fires happen in ways we don’t want to see. Therefore, we hope everyone will do their utmost to eliminate fire hazards and transport goods safely.