Lamar F.D. Responds to Morning Vehicle Blaze

The engine compartment of an SUV caught fire this morning, Tuesday, September 2, at about 7:30am, on West Cedar Street, between South 10^th and 11^th.

Smoke was pouring from the car and flames started erupting from under the hood as members of the Lamar Police Department begin detouring morning commuters from around the scene as the Lamar Fire and Ambulance Department arrived.

The fire department crew blasted the front of the SUV with their hose, scattering pieces of the grill into the street and extinguishing the blaze.  A firefighter, protected from the heat and smoke by his helmet and gear, opened the driver’s side door and tried the hood release latch to allow the rest of the crew access to any remaining flames.

It hasn’t been determined how many persons were in the vehicle when it caught fire or if it was on the road when the fire started as it was parked at the curb, facing east and empty when this reporter arrived on scene.  Additional details will become available with the official report.

By Russ Baldwin