Authorities say the driver of a car was able to escape without injury after his car caught on fire and quickly became engulfed in flames in McHenry Tuesday morning.
The McHenry Police Department and McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday to the area of Elm Street and Beach Road in McHenry for a vehicle fire.
Firefighters arrived to find a sedan stopped on Beach Road just north of Elm Street that was fully engulfed in flames.
Police officials said “thankfully” the driver and no one else were injured.
The police department shared video on social media of the fire before firefighters began extinguishing the blaze.
Police officials said the driver did the right thing and exited the vehicle before immediately calling 911.
The man who was driving the car said he believes the rear defroster shorted and caught trim on fire before spreading within seconds.
He said it occurred on Prairie Avenue and tried putting out the flame once he noticed it.
The man said he quickly drove the vehicle down the street to get to the open road so the fire could not spread to any homes or harm anyone.