Photo: wxow.com
A Wisconsin woman came face to face with one of drivers’ worst fears: her car caught fire while she was driving down the highway, but she was able to escape unharmed.
The incident happened in Vernon County, just outside of Readstown, ABC affiliate WXOW reports. The woman was driving down the highway when her car began acting up. It cut out a few times and then it died completely, the driver told the police.
When she was able to finally come to a full stop on the shoulder, the car was already in flames. The woman got out and called the emergency number, and got some distance between herself and the vehicle.
As you can see in the photo attached to this article, it burned down to the ground. The report doesn’t say what might have caused the fire, as this pends on the ongoing investigation.
However, firefighters are using this recent incident to remind people on the safety measures they should take, should they ever find themselves in such a situation.
“You want to get a safe distance away from that car and you especially want to avoid being directly in front of the vehicle or directly behind the vehicle,” La Crosse Fire Department Lieutenant Cory Westphfahl tells the same media outlet. “There are struts tied into the bumpers that can explode with some great force and send projectiles quite a distance. Batteries can explode. Just use common sense and stay a safe distance away.”
Another thing drivers should remember is to treat a car fire like they would a house fire: the moment you see flames coming out, get out of the vehicle and move away. Under no circumstance should you go back inside the car, regardless of what you left behind there. Call the emergency number and wait for help.
When she was able to finally come to a full stop on the shoulder, the car was already in flames. The woman got out and called the emergency number, and got some distance between herself and the vehicle.
As you can see in the photo attached to this article, it burned down to the ground. The report doesn’t say what might have caused the fire, as this pends on the ongoing investigation.
However, firefighters are using this recent incident to remind people on the safety measures they should take, should they ever find themselves in such a situation.
“You want to get a safe distance away from that car and you especially want to avoid being directly in front of the vehicle or directly behind the vehicle,” La Crosse Fire Department Lieutenant Cory Westphfahl tells the same media outlet. “There are struts tied into the bumpers that can explode with some great force and send projectiles quite a distance. Batteries can explode. Just use common sense and stay a safe distance away.”
Another thing drivers should remember is to treat a car fire like they would a house fire: the moment you see flames coming out, get out of the vehicle and move away. Under no circumstance should you go back inside the car, regardless of what you left behind there. Call the emergency number and wait for help.
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