A stubborn gasoline-fed fire totaled a Chevy Monte Carlo Monday morning at Campbell Street and Ridge Avenue.
Arlington Heights police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 2:47 PM Monday to a car fire at Campbell Street and Ridge Avenue. A fire officer driving by discovered a Chevrolet Monte Carlo stopped and smoking on eastbound Campbell Street at the stop sign before Ridge Avenue, and call for a car fire response.
Firefighters arrived within minutes to a car fire with flames just starting to erupt from the engine compartment. The car fire was fed by leaking gasoline. Firefighters switched from water to foam when they discovered that leaking gasoline kept re-igniting the fire.
The driver of the 2000 Monte Carlo said he smelled gasoline as he was driving eastbound on Campbell Street, then he heard a “poof.” Having worked as a mechanic, he knew to turn off the ignition switch to hope to stop the fuel pump from pumping gas to the burning engine. The car coasted the car to a stop and was smoking.
Apparently, the fuel was still leaking because burning fuel re-ignited after firefighters knocked the fire down a first time. They switched to foam, and the fire was extinguished.
The driver said that Chevrolet had three recalls for the Monte Carlo related to fire safety hazards, and that he responded appropriately to all three. He said the Monte Carlo was in mint condition.
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I live in the area- i’m buying a fire extinguisher!