Car catches fire on Outer Ring Road

Hyderabad: Two persons escaped when the car in which they were travelling caught fire on Sunday. The incident happened on Outer Ring Road when they were coming to Cherlapally from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

The car belonged to an employee of a pharmaceutical company based at Cherlapally. The owner of the car had sent the car to the airport to pick up his friend coming from Gujarat.

Driver Suresh picked Mr Surender Singh from the airport and was returning. When they reached the Outer Ring Road service road near Ghatkesar, Suresh saw smoke coming out from the engine.

He immediately parked the car by the roadside and both of them came out of the car to check its engine. Minutes after they exited the car, a fire started in the engine and soon it spread to the entire car. Fire tenders rushed to the spot and doused the fire. No complaint was lodged with the police.

In another incident on Saturday, three persons escaped when a Mercedez  Benz car caught fire near the Cyber Gateway in Hitech City. The fire started due to fuel leakage. The 1996 make car is registered in the name of a Chennai-based power generating firm.

Insurance firms seldom help
The success of insurance claims after fire mishaps in vehicles is uncertain.

Usually, insurance companies conduct an independent investigation along with the police investigation. The process may take three to six months.

Most Insurance companies deny the claims if the fire was a result of installation of extra accessories, and storing inflammable material in the vehicle.

“Usually, companies do not give if the fire mishap happens due to extra accessories and it’s proven in the investigation. If it happened due to mechanical defects, the insurance is granted,” said an insurance agent.  The  officials also check whose negligence caused the accident.