TERRIFYING
Driver Liam’s ‘shock’ as fire rips through Astra on his way to work
A DRIVER has told of the “terrifying” moment his car caught fire as he headed to work.
Care worker Liam Gold was driving his black Vauxhall Astra SRI on Thursday when smoke suddenly began to “fog up the windscreen” near Drumeldrie, Fife. He carried on driving to find a spot to safely stop, despite having restricted vision. By the time he pulled in, the 26-year-old could see flames burning through the dashboard. Liam, from Glenrothes, escaped the motor before the blaze took hold and called the fire service. He had just filled the vehicle with petrol and it took firefighters at least 20 minutes to put out the flames. Liam was not injured during the incident. Speaking to the Record, Liam said: “I’m embarrassed to say I was in tears. It was the shock, it was terrifying. The smoke was literally blowing up in front of my face.” A video of the incident shows flames ripping through the motor, with thick black smoke billowing into the air. Pictures of the aftermath also show the burnt-out shell of the car that was completely gutted in the blaze. The entire bonnet had also melted away.
Liam bought the car from a private seller in January last year and uses it daily to get to his job as a social care worker.
He was on his way to a care home in Anstruther when the car burst into flames. There had been no major issues with the car, with Liam claiming no warning lights appeared prior to the ordeal.
As well as losing some personal belongings in the fire, Liam will be hit financially by the loss of his motor.
The excess on his insurance policy is set at £1100 but he estimates the value of the car at around only £1700.
He added: “There were still a lot of belongings in the car. I had important paperwork in it and my wallet was in the door.”
Liam now has to rely on his husband Douglas to get him to work.
“We only tied the knot a few weeks ago so to say money is a bit thin after the wedding is an understatement”, he said.
“If I have to end up using public transport I don’t know what I’m going to do. “It’s a two-and-a-half hour round trip and my shifts as a carer are already long enough.”
Although unable to confirm the exact cause of the blaze, Liam said fire crews suspect the issue stems from an electrical fault.
Smoke was literally blowing up in front of my face LIAM GOLD TELLS OF MOMENT CAR CAUGHT FIRE