An owner of a Tata Safari, Mr. Rajesh Uppal, recently shared a distressing video of his SUV engulfed in flames. The incident took place in the basement of his residence and appears to have occurred spontaneously. Mr. Uppal has expressed dissatisfaction with the responses he received from the Tata Motors Service Centre regarding the incident.
The two videos posted by the owner on the Facebook Group shows the Tata Safari is seen parked in a basement parking area, completely consumed by flames. The fire had engulfed the entire vehicle, and other nearby parked cars were also at risk. Interestingly, a person can be seen attempting to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher, although it does not seem to be effective.
While Mr. Uppal did not provide many details, he claimed that the vehicle caught fire on its own. He did not mention when the vehicle was last driven or whether any aftermarket or third-party accessories were installed. He only mentioned that it was a top-end variant and advised other owners to be cautious. Car fires can be caused by the intricate network of wires in modern vehicles, which can ignite if there is a short circuit. However, it’s important to note that aftermarket accessories can increase the risk of such incidents, and individuals should always proceed with caution when considering third-party additions. This appears to be the first reported incident of a Tata Safari catching fire. However, in the past, there was a case of a Tata Harrier catching fire while being driven on the road.
Last year, a similar incident involving a car fire occurred in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, with a Skoda Slavia. The owner reported that the vehicle spontaneously caught fire in the basement parking. The cause of the fire remained unknown, and Skoda eventually replaced the Slavia with a new one, as the vehicle was almost new. The age of Mr. Uppal’s Tata Safari remains unknown. Typically, such fire incidents are covered by the car insurance.
Many vehicle owners opt to enhance their cars with aftermarket accessories, such as aftermarket ambient lighting or upgraded infotainment systems. However, improper installation of these accessories can result in a short circuit, which can overheat the vehicle’s electrical system and potentially lead to a fire. Therefore, it is crucial to rely on trusted dealers and mechanics when installing aftermarket parts. A similar incident involving the Mahindra XUV700 was reported, but after an investigation, it was determined that the fire was caused by an aftermarket accessory installation, which resulted in a spark and subsequently ignited the fire.