Second car fire of the day on I-95

By Megan Hoye
| 5:00 a.m. February 1, 2013

Nikko Bembry and Manniee Torres rifle through the burnt frame of Bembry's car, salvaging as many items as they can.

Palm Coast Observer
News

Firefighters responded around 3 p.m. Friday to a car fire on northbound I-95, the second such fire in about two hours.

Nikko Bembry, 18, of Palm Coast, was driving his car on the freeway when he heard something rattling in his engine. He felt something fall from it, so he pulled over.

Bembry got out of his car and saw smoke coming from under the hood. Then, he saw a flame. That's when he started walking away briskly. Within three minutes, the front end of his car was completely consumed in flames.

The incident is one of at least three in Flagler County since Wednesday, but Commander Mark Edgil of Volusia County Fire Services said fires like this one happen frequently. The problem is usually mechanical, and to help prevent fires, owners should keep their cars properly maintained, he said.

Bembry wasn't injured. He called a friend, Manniee Torres, 21, to come get him. Before they left, the two dug through the charred remains of the vehicle, pulling out the items they could salvage.