Car bursts into flames on Billinghay street

The car burst into flames from an electrical fault under the bonnet and the owner got two members of staff from nearby Billinghay Bargain Store to raise the alarm and help try to deal with the fire and divert traffic until the crew from Billinghay fire station arrived.

The Ford Fiesta was parked at the junction of King street and Victoria Street when the incident happened just before 5.30pm and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to eventually put it out without any injuries.

Before that, David Clapham and Cameron Johnson from the shop grabbed an extinguisher after appeals from help from the car owner and tried to subdue the flames while diverting traffic until the fire service arrived soon after.

Cameron, 16, who volunteers at the shop, said: “The owner just parked up, got out and locked it up and it burst into flames. It was a massive fire with the tyres popping and quite scary really.

“I had to go and knock on a lady’s door while standing just two feet from the back of the car, but a neighbour said she would be safe inside. There was wooden fencing next to the car and the panels butted up to her windows, if it had spread.”

Cameron said pieces of the burning car were dropping onto the road and although he had hoped to try and save possessions from the vehicle realised it would be too dangerous.

He added: “We used the extinguisher and the fire went out for about two minutes but there must have been another underneath and it started up again. I do feel bad we couldn’t save the car for him but at least we kept it under control.”

He even managed to help the owner salvage a pair of undamaged new shoes from the boot after the fire was put out.