Quick action by gas station employees and a fast response by the local fire department prevented what could have been an explosive situation with a car engine fire in Gatlinburg on Monday afternoon.
According to employees at the Fastop Market, 1339 East Parkway in Gatlinburg, an incident occurred on Monday, June 6, 2016 when a woman parked her red Dodge Stratus at the gas pumps and ran into the store asking for a fire extinguisher because the engine of her car was on fire. Employees acted quickly to shut off the pumps and called 911.
The Gatlinburg Fire Department received the call at 1:54 p.m. and along with the Gatlinburg Police Department arrived on scene at the gas station within a few minutes. The Fastop Market is located just half a mile from the departments. Emergency personnel used vehicles to block access to the gas station parking lot while they quickly extinguished a fire that was contained to the motor compartment of the car.
The cause of the engine fire is unknown. In 2006, Chrysler recalled 1999-2000 Dodge Stratus passenger vehicles with 2.4-liter engines after an investigation of reported engine fires found the high-pressure power steering hose could prematurely heat age and develop a leak of power steering fluid that, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in an underhood fire.
A portable fire extinguisher was located at the gas pump.
There were no injuries reported and no damage to the gas station.