| James Kon |
FORTY cases of vehicle fires were registered countrywide by the Fire and Rescue Department from January to September this year, a record high compared to previous years.
Of this, 30 cases were in the Brunei-Muara District, seven cases were reported in the Belait District, and three cases in the Tutong District.
The total cost from the damages has been estimated at BND212,850.
The Land Transport Department (JPD) urges members of the public to stop carrying out modifications to their vehicles and their wiring systems without following the vehicles’ original specifications.
The JPD also advising the public to refrain from employing the services of unaccredited mechanics, as this can result in shoddy work that can affect their cars’ safety.
This public advisory was made during a press conference yesterday chaired by Assistant Director of Fire and Rescue (Technical)
Pengiran Sabli bin Pengiran Haji Damit; enforcement officer at the JPD and Assistant Superintendent of the Fire and Rescue Department Sheikh Yusri bin Sheikh Haji Md Kadir; Deputy Head of the Fire Investigation Division Pengiran Noor Faridahwati binti Pengiran Seri Maharaja Pengiran Anak Omar Alli; and Senior Licensing Officer at the JPD Mohammad Hussin @ Amir bin Bujang.
According to Pengiran Sabli, there are four main causes of vehicle fires: electrical problems, mechanical problems, impact from accidents, and suspicious reasons such as arson.
“Electrical problems are caused by damages to components in the car’s electrical and wiring system, short circuits to the electrical wiring system, overload of the electrical system, and insufficient maintenance work on the vehicle,” he explained.
“Mechanical problems involve damages to the vehicle’s mechanical components, leakages from the oil hose, loose connections, or overheating of mechanical components. The impact of road accidents, for example powerful collisions from the incident is what causes fires.”
On suspicious vehicle fires, he said, “These are fires that are caused deliberately, and such cases are handed over to the police.”
Pengiran Sabli added that out of the 40 vehicle fires, 23 were due to mechanical damage, nine cases were caused by electrical damage, three cases resulted from the impact of accidents, three were classed as suspicious fires, and two cases were due to negligence.
“The main causes of the vehicle fires are human error and negligence, lack of maintenance, and illegal modifications,” he highlighted.
“The public should equip their vehicles with portable fire extinguishers, carry out regular maintenance works, and also ensure that the electronics of their car engine are checked during servicing. If your car catches fire, you should call the Fire and Rescue Department at 995 immediately.”
Sheikh Yusri reminded the public to avoid using the services of unaccredited mechanics, as well as to bring their cars for regular servicing and to ensure that spare parts used during such maintenance works are correct and approved.
“Any modifications to the vehicles from their original state is an offence under the Road Traffic Act, Chapter 68,” he added.
“The compound fine for first-time offenders is BND50, for the second consecutive offence the fine is BND150, while the third offence will result in a BND300 fine. A BND500 fine will be meted out for the fourth offence, and for the fifth offence, the driver will be brought to court.”
Sheikh Yusri advised the public to use the 15 vehicle workshops that are registered as Class A with the Land Transport Department since September 24, 2016 to service their cars.
“These workshops have been appointed as Vehicle Inspection Stations or VIS to carry out vehicle inspections for private vehicles that are seven years old and above, as well as commercial vehicles,” he said.
This list of the Class A workshops can be found on the JPD website at www.ltd.gov.bn.