Vehicle fire leaves young woman traumatised
She had only driven it twice when the incident occurred, and it was the last thing she thought would happen on her way to work.
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At approximately 7.15am today, 18 August, a freak accident left a young woman traumatised.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2020/08/WhatsAppImage2020_18246.jpeg)
The driver of an Opel Corsa had stopped at a red traffic light at the Corlett Avenue and Ontdekkers Road intersection when something near the engine caused the car to ignite. She immediately jumped out of her car and two men who had been in the traffic on Corlett Avenue got out of their vehicles to try to help her extinguish the flames. Unfortunately, the flamed engulfed her car within minutes, leaving only the shell.
The Dowry High Risk Unit was first on scene, followed by City of Johannesburg EMS fire department, police, and several neighbourhood watch groups. The fire department worked to extinguish the flames and hose down the road to prevent any spilled fuel from igniting.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2020/08/IMG_3153_22136.jpg)
The Western Suburbs Roodepoort Neighbourhood Watch and Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch did what they could to help by directing the heavy morning traffic around the scene, but there was still quite a lot of congestion due to the fire truck blocking off Corlett Avenue.
First Help was also on scene to make sure that any injuries would be treated, but thankfully neither the driver, nor anyone around the scene was hurt. It was the young woman’s first car, but it was quite old as it had previously belonged to her grandmother.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2020/08/IMG_3145_87182.jpg)
She had only driven it twice when the incident occurred, and it was the last thing she thought would happen on her way to work.