Disinfectant Spray Canister Explodes After Driver Lit Up A Cigarette Near KLIA
This is your reminder to not keep aerosol cans in cars.
By Sadho Ram — 25 Jul 2021, 04:07 PM
On Saturday, 24 July, a Proton Exora taxi was badly damaged with its driver suffering burn injuries on his face and arms after a leaking disinfectant spray canister reportedly exploded inside the vehicle
The incident happened at Jalan CTA 4 near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
64-year-old Radzi Mokhtar was leaving the airport after dropping off a passenger when he decided to light a cigarette and accidentally ignited the leaking canister of disinfectant spray, reported New Straits Times.
The explosion inside the moving vehicle left Radzi with minor burns on his arms and face.
The vehicle was filled with gas from the leaking canister
An investigation into the case by the Fire and Rescue Department found that the in-cabin explosion occurred when the taxi driver decided to light a cigarette inside the vehicle which was filled with gas.
According to KLIA police chief ACP Imran Abd Rahman, police were alerted of the incident about 3.30pm. Following which, the driver was sent to Putrajaya hospital for further treatment.
Amidst the news of the incident, social media has been abuzz with questions from netizens about the safety of keeping spray cans in cars
The case is not an isolated incident.
Recently in London, a lorry carrying aerosol cans caught fire, causing them to explode, reported BBC.
According to a witness, she was driving just behind the lorry when suddenly it "burst into flames".
"The lorry was exploding the whole time. Really dramatic," Evening Standard quoted her as saying.
Similarly, there have been other incidents where aerosol or pressurised canisters have exploded under varying circumstances such as weather after they were left inside the car.
In fact, your favourite deodorant canister lying around in your car could be a ticking bomb.
They can explode if the temperature rises and pressure starts to build up inside the canister.
In 2019, a mother warned others about the danger of keeping a can of dry shampoo in the car.
That dry shampoo canister turned into a projectile and burst through the sunroof of her daughter's Honda Civic amidst the intense heat, according to the viral post on Facebook.
