Gorham Street Vehicle Fire Accidental; Traced To Car Battery
Madison, WI 53703
A fire that consumed the passenger compartment and trunk of a 2011 Dodge Challenger on E. Gorham Street is believed to be accidental.
The owner says he was driving along Gorham when he smelled smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. Then the vehicle “just died,” he said, and his brother came over to jump start it. While attempting to access the trunk to get his jumper cables, he discovered fire inside.
Flames were approximately 15 feet high when Engine Company 3 pulled up to the scene. Firefighters had the fire under control within a minute of applying water to it, using less than 50 gallons of water from their bumper line.
Investigators were called in to examine the vehicle. They confirmed the fire began in the trunk, specifically where the car’s battery is situated. A spare tire stored in the trunk may have collided with the battery during transit and might have compromised its components.