Southington Has Sobering Hot Car Stats

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Amid another heat wave and a week and a half after Southington police arrested three for leaving dogs in hot cars, the fire department has released some sobering information.

The Southington Fire Department Thursday posted information relating to just how hot cars can become — and it doesn't even have to be 90-plus degrees outside for the air inside a car to be deadly.

With the message of "look before you lock," the SFD posted a graphic, courtesy of the federal government, that highlights how a simple mistake can cause irreparable harm or, even, death.

The message assumes a hypothetical outside temperature of 80 degree F.

Then, it lists what the temperature can get to inside a locked vehicle with the windows rolled up or only partially rolled down.

Here's the breakdown:

• After just 10 minutes, the greenhouse effect of a closed vehicle brings he temperature to 99 degrees.

• After 20 minutes, the temperature is 109 degrees.

• After 30 minutes, the temperature is 114 degrees.

• And after an hour, the temperature can hit 123 degrees.

Sadly, many people historically have left dogs and, even, children inside what eventually becomes furnace-like coffins for those trapped inside.

Often, such mishaps are accidental or a byproduct of not knowing just what could happen.

For the Southington Fire Department's Facebook page, click on this link.