Saudi drivers warned about leaving flammable items in cars

Civil Defence authority issues list of high-risk items as summer temperatures rise

Riyadh, where temperatures are forecast to reach 45ºC. Ahmed Yosri for The National

Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence authority has issued a list of flammable items that drivers should keep out of their cars during the summer heat.

The items include hand sanitiser, cigarette lighters, aerosols, gas canisters, phone batteries and power banks, a graphic posted on the authority's Twitter account on Wednesday has shown.

The warning came as daytime temperatures in parts of the kingdom approach 50ºC and followed increasing reports of car fires in recent years.

The Civil Defence said these products, if left inside vehicles, may ignite and explode because of the high temperatures.

The Saudi National Centre for Meteorology said Wadi Al Dawaser, in the central Najd region, and Al Ahsa in the east recorded temperatures between 47ºC and 48ºC on Wednesday, the highest in the kingdom.

Riyadh is forecast to record temperatures of up to 45ºC this week, while temperatures in Makkah are expected to reach about 38ºC.

The authorities also issued a list of safe practices to lower the risk of vehicle fires.

These include checking the levels of engine oil and water in the radiator before starting a trip, getting vehicles serviced and checked regularly, and making sure the cap of the fuel tank is tightly closed.