ST. GEORGE – A good Samaritan jumped into action Tuesday after the interior of a married couple’s recently purchased vehicle caught fire while they were driving, preventing the vehicle from going up in flames.
On the noon hour, Gary and Shirley Allison were driving on Red Cliffs Drive in their recently purchased Jeep Grand Cherokee when they noticed smoke above their heads and a hot liquid substance dripping down.
“We were just cruising around St. George,” Shirley Allison said. “It started smoking and burning above our heads. On the driver side, I was driving, it started dripping this hot stuff on me and it was burning right above my head,” she added, pointing at the black substance that had dripped all over her jacket and pants.
The couple quickly turned off of Red Cliffs Drive in St. George onto 1680 East and parked the Jeep in front of Arctic Circle, located at 1680 Red Cliffs Drive.
A good Samaritan at Arby’s Restaurant saw the smoking vehicle, called 911 and ran across the street with a fire extinguisher.
“When they got out (of the vehicle), it was smoking, so he brought the fire extinguisher over and dumped it and put the fire out,” St. George Fire Capt. Sam Larson said.
The good Samaritan had the fire out by the time the Fire Department arrived on scene, Larson said.
“Apparently, it was in the side airbag – side impact airbag,” Gary Allison said. “It has a pair of 12-volt lines that go to it and, apparently, it shorted and so it just started burning the whole headliner out.”
Fire crews disconnected the Jeep’s battery, and the vehicle was towed from the scene.
Aside from blistering on Shirley Allison’s skin from the hot liquid dripping onto her, no other injuries were reported.
“We just bought the car,” Shirley Allison said. “It was used but like new. We haven’t driven it 50 miles. We bought it right here in town.”
This report is based on preliminary information provided by the authorities at the scene and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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Airbag fire?
Better check the past ownership and repairs of that car. It sounds like an unauthorized repair to the bag….llke out of another car.
Awwwww. I’ve never heard of what latonian speaks of but ya, you should check that….you know, just in case.
LOL, makes you wonder about the lot that sold this car…