Watson also says this is likely why the bottled water tastes different than it does chilled. “When you heat things up, the molecules jiggle around faster and that makes them escape from one phase into another,” Watson says. While eating lunch in his car, Amuchastegui noticed smoke in his car. Amuchastegui was sitting in his parked car eating lunch when he noticed smoke inside. And we’re not just talking hypotheticals here. A fire started in a vehicle from a bottle of drinking water. While the chances might be small, by taking this small step, you won’t have to deal with a seat in your car randomly catching fire. Sunlight and heat will weaken the plastic of most water bottles and leach the BPA’s from them and allow it to contaminate the water. Thankfully, he noticed it before it could do any major damage. Given the right kind of plastic container and the right environmental conditions, sun shining through a water bottle can indeed lead to combustion. However, is that bottle of water you found on the floorboard of your car or left sitting in your center console safe to drink after sitting in the sun for several hours or more? The risk of such a disaster occurring is low, but officials say taking your water bottle with you when exiting the car is the best way to prevent this type of car fire. Dr. Lance Williams, professor of biology at the University of Texas at Tyler, tells KXTV that when people drink from a bottle and leave it in a hot car, they give bacteria an opportunity to grow. They are chemicals that have been known to cause cancer, high blood pressure and brain problems, particularly in children and … They say leaving a plastic bottle of water in a hot car in direct sunlight can start a fire in just minutes. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Cooking Light is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. We’re not sure why you would drink warm bottled water if you had other options, but if you’re into that sort of thing, try to keep it to a minimum! This includes, not just empty water bottles, but also filled water bottles. Sign up on Courserato take all four courses in this specialization for $49 a month. Leaving a plastic water bottle in direct sunlight can start a car fire within minutes, according to Midwest City Fire Dept in Oklahoma. These rumours are simply NOT true. Some of you may be in the habit of using and re-using your disposable mineral … Sure, a water bottle that’s been sitting in the sun all day isn’t the most refreshing thirst-quencher in the summer heat. Over about four months, you’ll learn the basics of visual communication and you’ll be able to practice gathering user feedback to build intuitive, attractive websites and interfaces. (Here’s how to fix burn marks in your car’s upholstery.). According to the Oklahoma Midwest City Fire Department , who recently issued a similar warning, the actual risk of sparking a car fire with a water bottle is pretty low. A 2014 study conducted at the University of Florida found after leaving 16 different brands of bottled water in a car that reached 158 degrees for a month, only one of them possessed BPA levels above EPA regulations and trace amounts of antimony. Thankfully Amuchastegui was in the car to notice it but it could have resulted in something worse if he wasn't in the car. A  2014 study conducted at the University of Florida found after leaving 16 different brands of bottled water in a car that reached 158 degrees for a month, only one of them possessed BPA levels above EPA regulations and trace amounts of antimony. INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — Fire officials are warning people during the heat wave to not leave water bottles in a hot car. The bottle caused the vehicle’s seat to begin burning. Message warns that a water bottle left inside a car on a sunny day could ignite the upholstery and start a fire. Even so, the lead author of this study, Lena Ma, warned against leaving bottled water in your garage for weeks, as well as in your car for a day or longer for safety reasons. All Rights Reserved. Sometimes you never drink it and it could end up just being left in the car. Cheryl Watson, a biochemistry professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, agrees with Ma and her research team, telling TODAY people shouldn’t store their bottled water in places with a significant amount of heat. Firefighters warn of the dangers leaving plastic water bottles in hot cars is it safe to keep your plastic water bottle in a hot car plastic water bottle left in hot vehicle can start fire plastic bottles left in hot cars can spark fires wtsp leaving a water bottle in the car is fire risk healthy. A fire started in a vehicle from a bottle of drinking water. Idaho Power employees do a little experiment with a water bottle at the end of the video, showing that light refracted through a water bottle in a hot car creates a hotspot well over 200 degrees. / Source: (Canva) (WVLT) Firefighters are warning people to not leave plastic water bottles in cars during extreme heat. You probably already know it’s not a great idea to drink bottled water that’s been sitting in a hot car, but there’s now a new warning out there. “It was hot enough to start burning a hole through the seat.” Sure enough, the extreme heat left two little burn marks. Reusable water bottles make less of an environmental impact and could possibly put you at lower risk for chemical contamination. Is part of the sun shines through the full water bottle around in your car ’ s how design. Bottle in direct sunlight can start a car fire within minutes, According to the American Society! For Research on Cancer “ the heat reacts with the chemicals in the car in! 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