If you have been on the road long enough you probably have seen a terrifying sight of a truck fire or a burned truck. As we all hope that we will never experience it and will eventually see it less on the road, there are actual steps that will help minimize the risk, if not stop it altogether.

Understanding the causes of truck fires will help to eliminate a lot of risks, if not prevent it. 

What causes Truck fire on the road?

• Short Circuits. Although most parts of the truck electrical system are protected by breakers, there are still key parts that aren’t due to safety reasons. 
• Heated elements friction. If battery cables come in contact rub against a metal casing it will create a temperature high enough to spark a fire.
• Malfunction in the electrical system, causing sparks as a result of loosened or broken contacts.  
• Engine overheating. A combination of hot weather and engine coolant leaks creates a very dangerous situation, where the truck engine temperature goes up to the point where it becomes combustible. 
• During motion, wheels can generate a lot of heat, that is why it is important that all parts related to the wheel mechanism are working properly. Fires caused by bad bearings, a leaky hub seal, or a dragging brake happen more often than we think.
• Low tire pressure. Under-inflated tires can cause enough friction and shift axis balance to cause parts to overheat.
• Smoking near or in the truck. Luckily a lot of companies have a smoking ban policy, but still, quite a large number of fires are caused by a common cigarette butt. 

While thinking of any of the dangers of fire it is also important to understand that a truck is filled with flammable liquids: fuel, grease, and oil, so any small electrical spark or fire can quickly get out of control. 

Fire prevention steps. 

The truck zones where fires are likely to happen are all covered by the pre-trip and post-trip inspection. It is a routine procedure, do not turn it into a formality. It will help to identify and address problems before you are on the road. As part of the inspection pay special attention to:

1. Leaking liquids. Make sure the oil and coolant are at the required level
2. Engine & battery
3. Tires
4. Any signs of overheating wires or burned wires smell.

Most truck fires start while the truck is in motion, and as the vehicle is very large it might not be noticed fast enough, especially if it is at the end of the trailer. 

Any signs of smoke or burned wire smell should draw immediate attention. Pulling to the curbside, when safe, and examining the truck is not an overreaction, but a simple procedure that might save your life.

If you have discovered potential problems report them and have them eliminated. Do not hope that they will come away by themselves

Do you see the fire? Your steps.

If you suspect the truck has caught fire, pull over safely. If it has just started and the area is visible and accessible, it is safe to use the extinguisher follow these steps:

1. Pull the safety pin out
2. Aim at the base of the flame, cause of the fire.
3. Squeeze the handles to activate the extinguisher 
4. Sweep the extinguishing agent across the burning area

These simple actions are easy to remember with the short acronym PASS. 

To be well-prepared, familiarise yourself with the extinguisher during the practical fire safety training.

Call 911 if the fire is too strong. Watch for flammable liquids (oil or fuel) under or near the fire. Fire spreads very fast and fuel and other flammable liquids can lead to an explosion. Your safety and safety of others around you is always a priority

How to use the fire extinguisher

To correctly use the extinguisher, the driver simply needs to remember the acronym PASS:

PULL the safety pin out. 

AIM the extinguisher nozzle at the base of the flames (what is burning) rather than at the actual flames. 

SQUEEZE the handles together to activate the extinguisher. 

SWEEP the extinguishing agent across the area that is burning. 

Preventing vehicle fires  Second to maintaining your fleet, the best way to prevent loss and injury due to fires is to make sure your drivers know the common causes of vehicle fires and how to protect their cargo, vehicle, and themselves if a fire starts when they are on the road. 

TIP: Before reviewing common causes of vehicle fires with your drivers, ask them to list as many as they can think of, then fill in gaps from the list and your personal experience. 

Vehicle fire causes 

Vehicle fires are usually caused by mechanical problems, commonly including: 

Damage or excessive wear in the exhaust system. Exhaust gas temperatures can reach 1,000 to 1,200 degrees. If heat from the exhaust pipe or hot exhaust gas contacts a flammable material (carpeting, rubber mats, etc.), the material can easily catch fire. 

Short circuits in a location not protected by a circuit breaker or fuse. For example, if battery cables rub against the metal of the vehicle and wear through, there is no breaker or fuse to stop the electrical current. The large amount of heat created could ignite any combustibles in the area. 

Tires with low air pressure. The friction of a low tire or tires in contact with each other or a vehicle part can create enough heat to start a tire on fire. 

Fluid leakage. Any time a vehicle is leaking fuel, grease, or oil, it is one heat source away from a fire. Excessive hub heat generated by bad bearings, a leaky hub seal, or a dragging brake. The bus fire in Texas that killed 23 people on board during the Hurricane Rita evacuation started when wheel bearings overheated and started a tire on fire.

One study showed that tires were the item first ignited  in 30 percent of large truck fires and 12 percent of bus fires. 

TIP: Careless use of smoking materials can easily start a vehicle fire. Make sure your drivers know if your carrier has a smoking ban. If your company doesn’t already have a ban in place, consider working with management to implement one. 

As you can see, drivers can avoid most of these hazards by performing thorough pretrip and post-trip inspections. However, if prevention does fail, it is important that drivers understand how to use fire extinguishers. 

Extinguisher use 

• TIP: Ask your trainees to discuss where they think the best place to store a fire extinguisher is. Consider posing different scenarios (fire on the passenger side of the cab, tire fire, engine fire, etc.) so drivers can think through whether they’d be able to access the extinguisher safely and easily in each case. 
• To correctly use the extinguisher, the driver simply needs to remember:
•  the acronym PASS: PULL the safety pin out. 
• AIM the extinguisher nozzle at the base of the flames (what is burning) rather than at the actual flames. 
• SQUEEZE the handles together to activate the extinguisher. 
• SWEEP the extinguishing agent across the area that is burning.