I drove six miles the night before to my local dollar general around 9 pm. Parked roughly 15 feet from my house which is where I always park. Took the keys out and came inside. Went to bed fairly late with the babies so at around 11:45 am I was awoken by my husband screaming that the van was smoking and I had to get up being as our bedroom window was right above where it was parked. Called 911. About 25 minutes later had to call 911 AGAIN. By this time the car was completely engulfed in flames and was starting to make explosions!! Finally, 40 minutes after my initial 911 call, which by the way my fire department is only 3.5 miles down the road, they finally arrived to put out the fire.
The van is completely and utterly a lost cause. Burnt to a crisp. Spent all day with the top state fire investigator going through to find the source which is now being said to be the inverter in back drivers side panel under the cup holders. It somehow just decided to start fire after sitting unused for more than 14-16 hours. And now to top it off, I only had liability insurance on the van so now my insurance company (AAA) is refusing to pay for any of it and Dodge wants me to get it towed to a dealership for them to assess it themselves. The fire cracked all four windows and my home that were right next to and over the fire. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, however. I do have some minor burns trying to put it out myself and get the 4 brand new car seats out which I was unable to do and pretty much all of my husband's DeWalt power tools and batteries and all of our fishing gear and tackle and two .22 caliber guns and our chainsaw was all destroyed as well.
This is a nightmare. I cannot believe that this seriously happened and that no one is willing to try and help my family for something that was completely the manufacturers fault!!! Someone needs to do something to hold someone accountable for this tragedy that has occurred to me and my family! That was our only source of transportation and we live in the country. The only stores are 4 miles away and they are two dollar stores dollar general and family dollar. The next closest store is nearly 30 miles away to buy groceries at! This is absolutely insane!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
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I drove six miles the night before to my local dollar general around 9 pm. Parked roughly 15 feet from my house which is where I always park. Took the keys out and came inside. Went to bed fairly late with the babies so at around 11:45 am I was awoken by my husband screaming that the van was smoking and I had to get up being as our bedroom window was right above where it was parked. Called 911. About 25 minutes later had to call 911 AGAIN. By this time the car was completely engulfed in flames and was starting to make explosions!! Finally, 40 minutes after my initial 911 call, which by the way my fire department is only 3.5 miles down the road, they finally arrived to put out the fire.
The van is completely and utterly a lost cause. Burnt to a crisp. Spent all day with the top state fire investigator going through to find the source which is now being said to be the inverter in back drivers side panel under the cup holders. It somehow just decided to start fire after sitting unused for more than 14-16 hours. And now to top it off, I only had liability insurance on the van so now my insurance company (AAA) is refusing to pay for any of it and Dodge wants me to get it towed to a dealership for them to assess it themselves. The fire cracked all four windows and my home that were right next to and over the fire. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, however. I do have some minor burns trying to put it out myself and get the 4 brand new car seats out which I was unable to do and pretty much all of my husband's DeWalt power tools and batteries and all of our fishing gear and tackle and two .22 caliber guns and our chainsaw was all destroyed as well.
This is a nightmare. I cannot believe that this seriously happened and that no one is willing to try and help my family for something that was completely the manufacturers fault!!! Someone needs to do something to hold someone accountable for this tragedy that has occurred to me and my family! That was our only source of transportation and we live in the country. The only stores are 4 miles away and they are two dollar stores dollar general and family dollar. The next closest store is nearly 30 miles away to buy groceries at! This is absolutely insane!!
- Kristen F., Cincinnatus, US