WESTBROOK – Scarborough and Windham firefighters responded to a burning car on Main Street in Westbrook at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

While Westbrook firefighters were busy with a structure fire on Route 302, the out-of-town crews worked to extinguish flames that quickly engulfed the engine compartment of a 2001 Dodge Neon. The car was situated in front of Bank of America and The Dancing Elephant restaurant, located at 855 Main St., near the intersection of Bridge Street.

The vehicle suffered two small explosions during the blaze, forcing onlookers to keep their distance. Traffic was diverted off a section of Main Street to nearby William Clarke Drive.

According to the vehicle’s owner, Felicia Jones of Portland, the car caught fire after she pressed on the accelerator just after pulling to the side of the road for a passing ambulance.

“When I went to get going again and pressed on the gas, it made sort of like a lurching and a noise and then I pulled over again, because when a car makes a noise you pull over,” Jones said.

“I thought I might have hit something, but when I pulled over, I put the car in park and flames came up near the windshield; it was that quick.”

Jones was driving alone to work at Peek-a-Boo Children’s Center in the Dana Warp Mill on Bridge Street. While she immediately fled the burning car, Jones realized she forgot to turn the car off and retrieve her keys.

“So I grabbed my bag and ran, and realized my car was still running and my keys were still in it and I need those to get in my house, so I actually had to go back in really quick and grab my keys. So I grabbed them and ran. And my first call was to police,” Jones said.

Jones was unhurt and has insurance on the car. A large plate-glass window at The Dancing Elephant cracked from the heat of the fire.

“I have absolutely no idea what caused it,” Jones said. “My boyfriend checked the oil a few days ago. It just all of a sudden went up.”

Flames engulf the engine compartment of a 2001 Dodge Neon on Main Street Tuesday morning.
Car fire 2.jpgCar fire 3.jpgCar fire 5.jpgCar fire 6.jpgCar fire 7.jpgA quick video of the car fire on Main Street in Westbrook, ME during December 11, 2012