The yearly frequency of fires in road vehicles to which the Fire Brigades
were called increased from 3 700 in 1948 to 6 600 in 1953 (Fig. 1), and it is
thought that there are in addition many fires in vehicles which the Fire
Brigades do not attend. Serious damage to the vehicle involved is the exception
rather than the rule in these fires, but there is always a risk of injury to
the occupants of the vehicle, and the steadily increasing number of calls to
the Fire Brigades each year, a trend which is likely to continue if no measures
to reduce the fire incidence are taken, adds considerably to the work of the
Fire Brigade.
This report describes an investigation of reports of fires in road
vehicles to which Fire Brigades were called. All the fires occurred in
vehicles in the open air and the great majority were in vehicles on the road.
