Can Water Bottles Left In Car Cause Fire? Video Shows What Can Happen

One of the common news stories we came across during the peak summer in North India, or across the nation, was cars catching fire. We have seen cases where cars parked outside caught fire without any apparent reason. Well, those cars didn’t catch fire without cause. In most cases, it was found that the owners were carrying water bottles or, in some cases, fuel in their cars, which led to the fire. Here, we have a video that shows why it is not a great idea to carry water bottles in a car.

 

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As mentioned above, we came across more such incidents during the peak summer and heatwaves. People who travel in cars usually carry a water bottle with them, and in most cases, leave the bottle in the car. While most of us think this is normal, this bottle often becomes the culprit in many car fire incidents. How, you ask? Let us explain.

Most people who use cars do not have access to covered parking. We often park our vehicles under direct sunlight, which can make the cabin extremely hot. When you leave a water bottle in the car, direct sunlight can sometimes fall on the bottle. In such cases, the water bottle acts as a magnifying glass, concentrating the sun’s rays.

These rays pass through the water and fall on plastic panels or seat covers in the car. In the video, we see how these concentrated rays can actually damage your vehicle. The video shows small damage caused by the rays to the seat of the car. If you leave the car unattended for a long time under direct sunlight, the chances of your car catching fire increase.

This is why the vlogger in this video advises people not to keep water bottles in the car. If you’re someone who wants to carry a water bottle, find a place where direct sunlight won’t fall on it. You can also opt for bottles made from materials that do not allow light or rays to pass through. Alternatively, you can invest in a metal flask that maintains the water temperature inside. So, to conclude, it always a good idea to not store water or fuel inside the car when it is extremely hot.

Parking

In a country like India, parking is a major problem. While we have several spots to park our cars in public places, we rarely find covered ones. Most of them are open, and you’re forced to park your vehicle under direct sunlight. The heat gets trapped inside the cabin, making things extremely uncomfortable when you return.

If you’re confident about the safety of your parking spot, we recommend slightly rolling down the windows before leaving your vehicle. If not, there are other accessories available in the market that allow you to control the amount of light and heat entering the cabin when your car is parked.

When you leave the windows slightly open, the air doesn’t get trapped. After resuming your journey, drive with the windows down for some time, and once the cabin temperature drops, you can start using the air conditioning to cool the car.