DOHA: Some car rental companies are flouting safety rules and putting their customers at grave risk. An Indian expatriate realised to his horror yesterday that a car he took on rent some 10 days ago had no fire extinguisher when he looked for the device in desperation to fight a blaze which had suddenly erupted in the front of the vehicle.
The man said he took the car on rent from a company on February 26 since his own car went for extensive repairs. He took the rented car for a wash to a service station located on the Airport Road. However, after he drove the car half-a-kilometer having taken it from the service station, he saw smoke seeping through the sides of the bonnet in front. He stopped the car and lifted the bonnet up only to be shocked as by this time thick clouds of smoke began billowing. The man hurriedly checked the inside the car for a fire extinguisher so he could put out the blaze, but he said no such device was available. He then immediately looked for his mobile phone and pressed 999 for help. Fire fighters soon arrived on the scene and extinguished the blaze. But by the time the front of the vehicle was fully gutted.
When the man called up the car rental company and informed them of the incident. Company officials said he should be held responsible for the damage caused by the fire. The officials also refused to own responsibility for not keeping a fire extinguisher in the car. Car rental companies are required by law to put all safety devices like fire extinguishers in place before renting their cars to customers.
© The Peninsula 2010
