Last Saturday, a car burst into flames on the Ayia Napa-Larnaca highway, shortly after the Sotira overpass.
The two passengers managed to escape unharmed, and the Fire Service brought the blaze under control. According to statements, the cause was a lit cigarette butt that fell inside the vehicle.
The incident raises the question: Why are private cars in Cyprus not required to carry a portable fire extinguisher? And how difficult would it be to legislate such a requirement? In Greece, for example, portable dry-powder fire extinguishers are mandatory in all vehicles.
Only public service vehicles
As Road Transport Department officer Iosif Miltiadous told Politis, “the presence of a fire extinguisher is mandatory only in certain categories of public service vehicles. These mainly concern school buses, taxis, and some trucks. For private passenger cars, there is currently no such obligation.” Although no regulation is being introduced, the official noted that “we consider it a good practice that should be adopted by all drivers.”
Powder extinguishers
Andreas Kittou, sales consultant at GP Fire Safety, which specialises in fire equipment, stressed that “for €25 a driver can protect property worth thousands of euros.”
According to him, powder extinguishers are considered suitable for use in cars as they are general-purpose. A two-kilogram extinguisher, the most appropriate for private cars, costs €20-25 while larger ones for trucks cost up to €60, depending on size.
Regarding the possible extension of the requirement to passenger cars, he said: “It would be positive to extend it, since it is a simple and inexpensive preventive measure,” emphasising that it should also be checked during MOT tests, just like other basic vehicle safety parameters.
Easy to use
“Operation is simple: with three moves the extinguisher is activated,” Kittou explained. But he warned that no one should attempt to go beyond their limits. “If the fire spreads to the point where we feel we can’t control it, we must move away immediately.”
He also highlighted the need for annual maintenance of extinguishers, since “without servicing, pressure may be lost, the gauge may fail, and effectiveness is reduced.”
As he explained, “a fire extinguisher can even put out a fire on the road when it is still in its early stages, before the Fire Service arrives.”