A vehicle caught on fire early this morning while driving through the intersection of 2499 and 3040. 

“A person was driving down the road and started to smell something burning, saw some smoke,” Flower Mound Fire Department Emergency Management Officer Brandon Barth said. “The vehicle started to catch on fire.” 

According to Barth, those inside of the vehicle — one person and a dog — were both able to get out unharmed and wait for the FMFD to arrive, which got a call about the fire at 6:39 a.m. 

“[The fire] started and it spread very quickly, but I would guess that it started a few minutes before the fire department was dispatched,” Barth said. 

The vehicle was soon fully covered by the flames. Within three minutes, the FMFD had one engine, which was staffed with at least three personnel, on the scene. Sophomore Maya Nanayakkara was on her way to water polo practice when she drove by the fire at around the same time. 

“We were driving and I just saw the car engulfed in flames and there was a lot of smoke,” Nanayakkara said. “I haven’t seen anything like that happen so close up, so it really shocked me.” 

It took the firefighters five minutes to put the fire out. They then handled the cleanup and got a tow truck for the damaged vehicle. The roads were reopened by 8 a.m. 

The cause of the fire is currently unknown, according to Barth. However, the circumstances suggest that it may have had to do with the vehicle itself. 

“A lot of times with a vehicle fire like that, where the car was driving down the road, it can be chalked up to a mechanical malfunction,” Barth said. 

Although it may seem like a freak accident, there are precautions drivers can take to ensure that they don’t have a similar experience. 

“Make sure that your vehicle is properly maintained and operating, and if you have any concerns, make sure you get it checked out,” Barth said. “If there’s any life safety concerns, make sure you get out and get away from the vehicle.”