Two RGV Car Fires Reported in Two Days
The Rio Grande Valley saw two separate car fire incidents on November 28 and 29, resulting in no major injuries. Car fires are most often caused by electronic and mechanical failures, something that can potentially be avoided with sufficient vehicle maintenance. Keep reading to learn more about the fires and how to avoid a car fire from the team at Villalobos Law Firm, your McAllen personal injury lawyers.
The Vehicle Fires
The first fire was reported on Tuesday, November 28, in the afternoon. A car caught fire near Little Ceasars in the 1500 block of W. Jackson Avenue in Harlingen.
The Harlingen Fire Department extinguished the flames, but the vehicle was a total loss, according to Harlingen Fire Chief Rafael Balderas.
There were no injuries reported in relation to the Tuesday fire.
The second fire occurred around a day later on the afternoon of November 29. Police reported that a car was on fire near the Brownsville Sports Park. The car was reportedly engulfed in flames on the I-69 Expressway.
One occupant was removed from the vehicle and no major injuries were reported.
How To Avoid Vehicle Fires
While there’s no guaranteed way to avoid a vehicle fire, there are things you can do to reduce your risk. We can determine how to avoid car fires by examining their common causes: the top cause of vehicle fires is vehicle malfunctions, with older vehicles accounting for 3 out of 4 car fires in 2018. With this in mind, you can follow the tips below to limit your risk of being involved in a car fire:
- Get regular car maintenance
- Don’t ignore engine warning lights
- Watch for signs of smoke
- Pay attention to burning smells
- Pull over if you think your car is malfunctioning
- Keep up with regular vehicle inspections
- Follow posted traffic laws
- Don’t drive a vehicle that you believe to be unsafe
Another common cause of vehicle fires is collisions, so following traffic laws and driving carefully can also help reduce your risk.
What To Do if Your Car Catches Fire
We don’t always have a choice regarding what vehicle we drive, and even when we do everything in our power to prevent them, sometimes vehicle fires still happen. If you believe your car may be on fire, follow the steps below to stay safe:
- Pull over immediately
- Get out of the vehicle while keeping passing traffic in mind
- Move as far away from the vehicle as possible
- Call for emergency assistance
- Seek emergency medical attention if needed
To protect yourself legally in case of a car fire, you should also take pictures of the scene and all relevant factors you can easily see. Don’t put yourself in danger in order to gather evidence, but do document what you can safely access. This may include getting a police report. All of this evidence may be essential to filing an insurance claim.
If you’ve been involved in a car fire accident, a McAllen car accident injury attorney can help you determine what you’re owed and how to get it.
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Source: ValleyCentral4
