A Madison woman, her child and a male passenger were able to escape her Chrysler 300 while driving on Northport Drive Sunday morning before it burst into flames.
“While driving down Northport Drive, the occupants heard some crackling coming from the trunk of the car. Soon there was smoke emanating from the back, and within a half-block’s drive there were flames coming from the vehicle,” Madison Fire Department Public Information Officer Cynthia Schuster wrote in an incident report.
The woman was able to pull over and grab her child from the backseat. According to the report, it did not take much longer for the rest of the car to be consumed by flames. The responding MFD engine saw black smoke coming from the scene just two minutes after being dispatched. They were able to extinguish the fire in minutes using foam and water.
“A car seat left just outside the vehicle was melted down by the nearby flames. The vehicle’s interior was completely burned down to the metal springs of the seats and metal frame,” Schuster wrote.
MFD said evidence suggests the flames started in the trunk, but are unaware of how the fire started. The owner said she bought the car in May and just had it returned from getting engine repairs. The car was not insured and no one was injured.
