Dropped butt results in burning vehicle
By Medicine Hat News on March 16, 2019.
A car was engulfed in flames Friday as a result of a dropped cigarette butt. Firefighters and police were called to the scene at Southridge Boulevard and 13th Avenue around 10:20 a.m. Captain Jeff Kozakewich, who responded to the call, says the driver had just minor cuts to his hand, so there was no need to call EMS. “The driver told us that he lost his cigarette in between the seats and he tried to extinguish it himself,” said Kozakewich. “He was unsuccessful and the vehicle caught on fire.” He says this incident should serve as a cautionary tale to smokers, particularly with grass fire season approaching. “We do ask smokers who do choose to smoke in their vehicles to put it in a proper receptacle like an ashtray,” he said. Though not a particularly regular occurrence, cigarette-induced car fires do happen occasionally, said Kozakewich. “Cigarettes do start all kinds of different fires if not properly disposed of,” he said. “It’s not unheard of, but it’s not something we see everyday.” 9-8
