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Fire Service Warns Motorists
BY RITA OYIBOKA
AS the yuletide season ushers in heavy travel, heightened emotions and the dry harmattan weather, the Federal Fire Service (FFS) has issued a stern public safety warning to motorists, cautioning against the dangerous practice of transporting petrol in jerrycans inside vehicles.
In a public safety announcement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, yesterday, the FFS warned that conveying fuel in jerrycans, especially in vehicle boots or back seats while carrying passengers, poses a grave risk and could turn vehicles into “moving bombs” during the busy Christmas and New Year travel period.
The Service emphasised that vehicle fuel tanks are not ornamental fittings, but are specifically engineered with covers, valves, and safety systems designed to safely contain fuel. According to the FFS, most cars are built to hold between 45 and 70 litres of fuel in their tanks, with some sport utility vehicles accommodating even more. It questioned the rationale behind motorists choosing to store between 10 and 30 litres of petrol in jerrycans inside their vehicles instead of using the fuel tanks provided by manufacturers.
Describing the act as reckless, the Fire Service warned that vehicles are not mobile fuel stations and should not be converted into what it described as “mobile barbecue stands.” It explained that fuel vapour is highly volatile and more dangerous than naked fire, noting that a single spark could trigger an explosion. The combination of harmattan conditions, heat and fuel vapour, the Service said, creates a lethal mix where a sudden brake, minor collision or pothole impact could result in a catastrophic blast.
The FFS further cautioned that jerrycans can develop leaks without the driver’s knowledge, allowing fuel vapour to accumulate inside the vehicle until it is too late to avert disaster.
Highlighting the peculiar risks of the yuletide period, the Service noted that roads are typically congested, traffic movement is slow, temperatures are high, and emotions are often charged, making accidents more likely. It warned that a single mistake under such conditions could wipe out multiple lives, including that of the driver.
The Fire Service urged motorists to exercise sound judgment during the festive season by using their vehicle fuel tanks strictly for fuel storage, buying fuel only when necessary and avoiding the transportation of passengers alongside fuel under any circumstances. It also cautioned against smoking, using naked flames, mobile phones or any ignition source near fuel.
