Electrical fire guts Oldsmobile

Electrical fire guts Oldsmobile

Dec. 29, 2001

A FIRE THAT began under the dashboard engulfs a car outside Southwest Memorial Hospital Thursday.

Journal Staff Report

A car engulfed in flames drew a crowd of onlookers at Southwest Memorial Hospital Thursday morning.

The 1977 Oldsmobile ignited within 15 minutes after owner Shannon Fabre and her small child parked and entered the emergency room.

"She back came out and her car was in flames," said Charlie Rosenbaugh, Cortez fire chief.

Crews doused the fire within minutes and there were no injuries.

The blaze started under the dashboard and quickly torched the interior, leaving behind bare metal and melted plastic. Investigators say an electrical short under the dash started the fire.

"It smoldered for a while, then got hot enough and spread to the rest of the vehicle pretty quickly," Rosenbaugh said. "Fumes from the upholstery and plastic were pretty thick."

Open windows created a backdraft, officials said, causing the some of the windows to pop out. The fire was burning directly over the gas tank, which was half full.