O’NEALS — Firefighters responded shortly after noon today to a vehicle fire on Highway 41, a quarter-mile north of Road 200.
At 12:44 p.m. reports came in of a vehicle on fire, parked on the shoulder of the northbound lane. Cal Fire Engine 4295 and Madera County Fire Engine 8 responded and reported the vehicle fully engulfed when they arrived at scene.
A witness said he saw the 2005 Dodge Magnum on the side of the road with flames coming out from under the hood. He said the female driver was trying to get her belongings out of the vehicle, and he immediately told her she needed to move away from the fire.
The flames quickly ignited the dry grass next to the road, burning about a quarter-acre before firefighters stopped the spread.
A hole in the gas tank frustrated suppression efforts as the gas continued to leak, and firefighters were forced to just let the fuel burn itself out.
One lane traffic control was put in place and drivers had short delays for about 90 minutes as the fire burned itself out and the car was hauled away.
The accident remains under investigation.
