Belgian Man Rescued from Locked Car After Fan Drains Battery

[webfact]

 

In a peculiar and tense situation, a Belgian man found himself trapped inside his car after the battery drained, rendering the doors inoperable. The incident unfolded at a gas station in Kamphaeng Phet Province, where the man had taken a short nap after a long drive.

 

Around 2:00 a.m. on August 7, 2024, officers from the Kamphaeng Phet News Image Rescue Foundation received an urgent call from a concerned convenience store employee. The employee had noticed the man trapped inside a locked red BMW and promptly sought assistance.

 

The rescue team swiftly arrived at the scene to find the car doors unresponsive due to an entirely drained battery. Inside, the 40-year-old Belgian tourist was visibly distressed and weakened. Rescue officers repeatedly tried to instruct the man to press the unlock button, but their efforts proved futile without a functional electrical system.

 

As time ticked on and the man’s condition visibly worsened due to stifling heat and plummeting oxygen levels, the rescuers made the tough decision to break the car window. Smashing the glass was the only viable option to prevent any further danger to the man’s health. Thankfully, the quick intervention worked, and the foreigner emerged from the vehicle, albeit feeble and faint from the ordeal.

 

The Belgian tourist, who had journeyed from Chiang Rai to Chonburi, explained that he had parked at the gas station to rest, allowing the fan to run while he slept. Unfortunately, the fan’s continuous operation drained the car’s battery completely. Feeling trapped, he struggled to escape until the convenience store employee noticed his plight and alerted the authorities.

 

The entire operation lasted nearly two hours, but thanks to the diligent efforts of the rescuers, the man was ultimately guided to safety. After receiving immediate assistance, including provisions from the tourist police, he was able to continue his journey, much relieved and wiser.

 

Picture courtesy: 3Plus NEWS

 

-- 2024-08-08

 

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[fondue zoo]

 

They need explosive bolts in the doors and a big red button labeled ESCAPE DEATH TRAP CAR  (under a flip cover of course)

 

 

20 minutes ago, webfact said:

visibly distressed and weakened.

 

20 minutes ago, webfact said:

albeit feeble and faint

 

how long was he trapped in there ?

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

As time ticked on and the man’s condition

A little dramatic don't you think? 

plummeting oxygen levels...... hilarious 

 

He was a man, not a infant child. 

 

Maybe he needs to ManUp. 

 

[Toxane]

Could have just opened the hood for them to bridge the battery. Problem solved in less than a minute without breaking s**t.

[CharlieH]

Stiffling heat at 2 am ? 

[SAFETY FIRST]

14 minutes ago, Toxane said:

Could have just opened the hood for them to bridge the battery. Problem solved in less than a minute without breaking s**t.

Doors wouldn't open.

If it's one of those new all electric things I doubt the hood would open. 

 

[CallumWK]

I wonder what car that was. My car also has central lock, but there is still a manual unlock button on each door.

Also as someone else already mentioned, opening the hood and connecting bridge the battery would have sorted it, which I assume they did anyway later, otherwise how would he be able to continue his journey

[CallumWK]

5 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Doors wouldn't open. If it's one of those new all electric things I doubt the hood would open. 

 

 

From the picture in the OP it is obvious it isn't one of those all electric things, it looks like an older car

[FritsSikkink]

9 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

From the picture in the OP it is obvious it isn't one of those all electric things, it looks like an older car

So why couldn't he open the door?

[CallumWK]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

"Rescue officers repeatedly tried to instruct the man to press the unlock button, but their efforts proved futile without a functional electrical system."

No need I can read.

Maybe try read this

 

18 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

I wonder what car that was. My car also has central lock, but there is still a manual unlock button on each door.

Also as someone else already mentioned, opening the hood and connecting bridge the battery would have sorted it, which I assume they did anyway later, otherwise how would he be able to continue his journey

 

[CallumWK]

This looks 100% like an older model car. No BMW EV's have mirrors like that or the chrome around the doors, so there it would have been possible to manually open the hood.

If not, @FritsSikkink tell us how he could start the car and continue his trip after smashing the window,

 

[FritsSikkink]

14 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

This looks 100% like an older model car. No BMW EV's have mirrors like that or the chrome around the doors, so there it would have been possible to manually open the hood.

If not, @FritsSikkink tell us how he could start the car and continue his trip after smashing the window,

 

How to Charge a Car Battery: Step-by-Step Guide - Car and Driver

[CallumWK]

4 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

How to Charge a Car Battery: Step-by-Step Guide - Car and Driver

 

Lou, is that you?

 

Why you not answer my question and tell us how they opened the hood to charge the battery, if it was not possible to open the hood without a charged battery?

 

[CallumWK]

And look what I found here, which explains how to manually open the doors in a full electric BMW when the battery is flat

 

 

[Captain Flack]

A number of off topic bickering posts have been removed. Please discuss the topic and drop the bickering and name calling.

[cdnvic]

Removed two posts with good information that were ruined by the decision to add insults directed at other members.

[josephbloggs]

2 hours ago, CallumWK said:

This looks 100% like an older model car. No BMW EV's have mirrors like that or the chrome around the doors, so there it would have been possible to manually open the hood.

If not, @FritsSikkink tell us how he could start the car and continue his trip after smashing the window,

 

Where does it say it was an EV?

[CallumWK]

1 minute ago, josephbloggs said:

Where does it say it was an EV?

 

It didn't, and that is also what I posted, but is disputed by others.

 

2 hours ago, CallumWK said:

From the picture in the OP it is obvious it isn't one of those all electric things, it looks like an older car

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

stifling heat and plummeting oxygen levels

I understand.... Time is running out, 2am heat and plummeting oxygen but this would be a great option. 

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

2 hours ago, CallumWK said:

 

From the picture in the OP it is obvious it isn't one of those all electric things, it looks like an older car

If it was an older car the door would open when pulling on the internal door handle. 

 

 

[nakhonandy]

We carry an emergency hammer in our car so we can smash a window if necessary. 

Also useful if Satnav directs us into a lake.

Seriously though, just gain access to the battery and jump it.

[nakhonandy]

3 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

If it was an older car the door would open when pulling on the internal door handle. 

 

Have you ever owned a car? 

 

I think the man in the car was unresponsive, they had to gain access from outside.

[Jethro Tull]

3 minutes ago, nakhonandy said:

I think the man in the car was unresponsive, they had to gain access from outside.

According to the op the car doors were unresponsive, the Belgian was visibly distressed and weakened.

Of course it could mean he was unable to open the doors himself, not great reporting, especially the last sentence.

 

The rescue team swiftly arrived at the scene to find the car doors unresponsive due to an entirely drained battery. Inside, the 40-year-old Belgian tourist was visibly distressed and weakened. Rescue officers repeatedly tried to instruct the man to press the unlock button, but their efforts proved futile without a functional electrical system.

[retarius]

3 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

So why couldn't he open the door?

I think it was an EV car, they probably didn't;t mention it because the government doesn't want you to know that EV sales are sucking wind at the moment.

[brianthainess]

My wife's car had a similar problem, but there was no one in the car, I couldn't open the door, then I tried the passenger door, it opened no prob. I slid over and opened the bonnet to re-charge the battery.

[brianthainess]

48 minutes ago, nakhonandy said:

I think the man in the car was unresponsive, they had to gain access from outside.

Maybe pissed as a newt at 2am......

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, Toxane said:

Could have just opened the hood for them to bridge the battery. Problem solved in less than a minute without breaking s**t.

My thoughts exactly, a battery some extension leads and power is restored.

[ktm jeff]

1 hour ago, CallumWK said:

 

It didn't, and that is also what I posted, but is disputed by others.

 

 

Yes , it is an older BMW. Cable operated hood. Pull hood catch and charge battery from the charge port within engine bay. All BMW,s have them if  the battery is in trunk.

[Joe Boy Walton]

"he was able to continue his journey, much relieved and wiser."

 

... and with "fresh air" conditioning.

[sabaijai]

3 hours ago, CallumWK said:

And look what I found here, which explains how to manually open the doors in a full electric BMW when the battery is flat

 

 

Bingo