A gas generator for an inflatable vehicle safety bag comprises three concentric chambers defined between a diffuser cup and a centrally recessed base member adapted to fit over a steering wheel hub, including an inner chamber for holding an electric ignition squib, an intermediate chamber for holding a canister of gas generating agent, and an outer chamber filled with stacked and coiled wire mesh, and a sintered metallic fiber body. The squib flashes through openings in the inner chamber to ignite the gas generating agent, and the gas produced thereby (primarily N.sub.2) passes through openings in a partition ring, obliquely through the wire mesh where the heat and chemical residues from the reaction are absorbed, and out openings in the diffuser cup through the sintered fiber filter. A diverter ring in the outer chamber serves to channel the gas flow obliquely or diagonally through the wire mesh.