According to a ABC15.com, a tragic car fire ended in serious injuries of two individuals from Mesa. On Saturday afternoon May 23rd, the two people were airlifted to a valley hospital after being trapped in their vehicle that caught on fire.
According to a Fire Department spokesperson, the driver of the vehicle noticed smoke coming from the trunk, and then handed the passenger a glass of water in order to put it out. When that did not work to put out the fire, the driver decided to stop the vehicle and run to a nearby pharmacy in order to purchase more water to put out the fire, leaving his two passengers sitting in the car. Although the fire was spreading, the passengers sitting in the car had trouble getting out of the vehicle since the car was parked next to a curb and they became trapped. Fire officials arrived at the scene to find the vehicle completely engulfed in flames. Luckily the two passengers were in stable condition when taken to the hospital. The male (26 years old) and female (25) suffered from second degree burns to their hands back and neck.
The driver is being suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and it has been reported that he did not realize the seriousness of the fire since he did not call 911. Officials suspect that the fire originated the fire started in an after-market power inverter.
In a case like this, it is important to really evaluate what caused the fire and who is at fault. Sadly in this case, the injuries could have been preventable. Serious burns can affect the rest of your life. Many factors were involved in this accident, for instance the fire could have resulted in a manufacturer defect. To prevent this type of accident, it is important that no amount of alcohol be consumed by the driver. It is also important that at the first sign of danger you to exit the vehicle immediately.
For more information on the dangers if driving under the influence, visit the Solomon & Relihan DUI Information page.
