Fire Quickly Consumes Car In Downtown Madison

Firefighters knocked down a fully-involved car fire at a busy Madison intersection Tuesday afternoon.
 
Engine Company 3 responded to the corner of Johnson and Blount Streets and found a gold Subaru Forester showing large amounts of fire from the engine and passenger compartments. Pulling a hose line from their front bumper, firefighters had the fire extinguished after a few minutes.
 
The driver said he borrowed the vehicle from a friend and had been driving it for about 10-15 minutes before the fire began. While at a stop light at Johnson and Carroll Street, the car stalled. After restarting the car, the “Check Engine” light came on. A few moments later his passenger noticed fire coming from under the hood. He pulled onto Blount Street, where both occupants were able to get out of the car uninjured. They say “there was fire everywhere in the car” within a minute or two.
 
A tow truck was called to haul the vehicle away. The cause of the fire is unknown.