Vehicle Fire Destroys Car in Mundelein; Likely Caused by Parking Over Pile of Leaves

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Car fire in Mundelein likely caused by ignition of leaves from the heat from the catalytic converter and  exhaust system on Sunday night, November 19, 2023 (SOURCE: Mundelein Fire Department)
Car fire in Mundelein likely caused by ignition of leaves from the heat from the catalytic converter and exhaust system on Sunday night, November 19, 2023 (SOURCE: Mundelein Fire Department).

Police, firefighters and paramedics from Mundelein responded Sunday night to a car fire where the car was parked on a residential seat. Piles of leaves were located on the street. 2021 to a report of a house fire in Mundelein.




The vehicle was fully involved when Mundelein firefighters arrived. Leaves surrounding the vehicle were also burning. The fire was quickly extinguished, and thankfully no occupants were injured, according to the Mundelein Fire Department.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but was most likely due to the catalytic converter/exhaust system igniting the leaves under the vehicle, according to the Mundelein Fire Department.

Given that the internals of the typical catalytic converters work at temperatures around 750-1150 degrees Fahrenheit, and most residential streets have leaves stored at curbside for annual leaf collection, the potential for situations such as this to occur are prevalent.

— Mundelein Fire Dept.

Mundelein Fire Department reminded all Mundelein residents to avoid raking or blowing leaves into the street for leaf collection. Please rake or blow leaves only to the edge of your yard, not extending past the curb and into the roadway.

The fire department also urged motorists to be aware of surroundings when parking vehicles in the street, especially, after dark. Be sure to avoid parking over any standing piles of leaves and maintain a safe distance.

 I PARKED IN LEAVES!  

A.J.’s Nissan Xterra SUV catches fire while parked over a pile of leaves on the final episode of American crime drama television series The Soprano’s (episode originally aired June 10, 2007). YouTube Tips ⓘ




In the final episode of the final season of The Soprano’s, Tony Soprano’s son A.J. is out with girlfriend Rhiannon Flammer in A.J.’s SUV. Their friendship is about to turn to a sexual relationship in the SUV while they are parked together in a wooded area, when they are interrupted by a fire. A.J.’s yellow Nissan Xterra SUV catches fire while parked over a pile of leaves on American crime drama television series The Soprano’s. After the fire, Tony Soprano lectures A.J., explaining, “The catalytic converter and the dry vegetation … you can grill [expletive deleted] steaks on that converter.




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