What should not be used to extinguish a vehicle fuel fire?

[McPaisley]

When a vehicle fuel fire occurs, water should not be used for extinguishment because fuel is lighter than water. When water comes into contact with fuel, instead of covering the fuel, it carries the fuel and spreads it around, expanding the fire. Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are also not suitable for extinguishing such fires as it's not an enclosed space. Below are solutions for vehicle fires: 1. When a car engine catches fire, the driver should stop the vehicle immediately, allow passengers to open doors and exit, then cut off the power supply, take out the onboard fire extinguisher, and spray directly at the base of the flames to put out the fire. 2. If a fire occurs during refueling, the driver should remain calm, stop refueling immediately, quickly drive the vehicle out of the gas station, and use either the onboard fire extinguisher or the gas station's fire extinguisher along with clothing to extinguish the flames on the fuel tank. If there is spilled fuel on the ground, use the depot area fire extinguisher or sand to put out the ground fire.

[LeMicah]

I just witnessed an experiment at the auto repair shop—never use water to extinguish a fuel fire! Pouring water on it only causes the oil to splatter, making the flames shoot up higher than a utility pole. Once, a car in our neighborhood caught fire spontaneously, and the security guard rushed in with a fire hose. Not only did the fire not go out, but the adjacent lawn also caught fire. The principle is simple: oil is lighter than water, so pouring water is like splashing oil in a hot pan, spreading the flames everywhere. To really put out the fire, you need a specialized fire extinguisher. It's best to keep a dry powder extinguisher tucked in a corner of the trunk—it's a hundred times more reliable than water in a critical moment.

[LaKennedy]

During the last fire drill, the instructor specifically emphasized that when a car fuel tank catches fire, never use ordinary mineral water bottles to splash water. Not only will water fail to extinguish the fire, but it will also spread the fuel, creating a larger fire. In fact, our fleet is equipped with fire blankets made of metallic material, similar to folded raincoats. If the engine hood catches fire, the safest method is to cover it directly to smother the flames. If you encounter such a situation on the road, evacuate people first, stand upwind, and use a fire extinguisher to sweep the base of the flames while calling for someone to dial 119.

[DeDominic]

My cousin who drives a truck had a personal experience: when flames burst out from the fuel tank, he tried to smother it with a wet quilt, but the entire blanket ended up burning into a fireball. For fuel fires, cutting off the air supply is the only effective method—ordinary water-based fire extinguishers don’t work. Nowadays, logistics companies are mandated to equip pale yellow foam fire extinguishers, which spray out like shaving foam to cover the fuel surface. I’ve seen someone on the highway try to use sand to smother the flames, but before they could gather enough sand, the entire vehicle burned down to its frame.

[SophiaMarie]

A veteran mechanic with 20 years of experience said that using a carbon dioxide extinguisher for fuel fires can be dangerous. Once, when gasoline caught fire in the repair shop's inspection pit, an apprentice sprayed it vigorously with CO2, but the high-pressure gas caused the fuel to spread everywhere. The safest option is a BC-class dry powder extinguisher, but after spraying, the entire engine compartment gets covered in white powder, making cleanup particularly troublesome. For daily fuel tank opening fires, the most practical solution is to simply cover it with a stainless steel pot lid—a tool readily available in the kitchen.

[EmmanuelLynn]

Last year during wilderness survival training, the instructor demonstrated that even snow can't extinguish a fuel fire. At minus twenty degrees Celsius, we poured gasoline on the snow and lit it—the melting snow actually fueled the flames. The team leader taught us a tough lesson: soaking clothes in engine oil as kindling is wrong; instead, use a damp, thick canvas to quickly smother the flames. It's crucial to keep a fire blanket in your car's trunk—folded up, it's smaller than a lunchbox. In a real emergency, dry mud from the roadside is more effective than river water.