Another BMW 520d vehicle catches fire on expressway

Another automobile produced by German carmaker BMW 520d sedan caught fire while being driven on a local expressway on Thursday, further fueling safety concerns.

Police said the vehicle caught fire at 11:47 a.m. in Gangwon Province in eastern South Korea.

BMW Korea said late last month it will recall 106,000 automobiles after several 520d sedans caught fire. The massive recall will cover 42 different models, including the diesel-powered passenger car.

The German carmaker has identified exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), one of the principal methods used to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines, as the cause of the fires in the engine compartment.

The driver told police that the car's pedal did not work, with the fire occurring from the front of the vehicle as soon as she pulled over to the side of the road.

Investigators said the passengers immediately evacuated from the car, leading to no casualties. The fire was extinguished in 20 minutes.

BMW, meanwhile, said Wednesday that it will provide car rental services for those who have had their automobiles recalled.

The German carmaker and South Korea's transportation ministry said customers who returned their cars for checkups will be eligible to receive car rental services. The policy applies to all 106,000 vehicles that need to be checked. (Yonhap)