SPANISH LAKE, Mo. — A car's collision with a deer late Wednesday night quickly intensified when flames erupted from it, forcing firefighter intervention.
Spanish Lake Fire Community Outreach confirmed their department's firefighters responded to the scene in a Facebook post. The crash happened at around 10:37 p.m. on Columbia Bottom Road. "Be aware and be careful," the post said.
Chief Kevin Henderson said the car's driver was able to escape from the vehicle through the rear passenger door and was not physically hurt.
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While it might sound unlikely, flames can definitely be ignited by a deer collision, according to Missouri AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria.
"Under the right conditions, a front-end collision, whether with an animal, another vehicle, or fixed object, can cause enough engine damage to spark a fire," Chabarria told 5 On Your Side. "The engine temperature has to be high enough to cause escaped fluids to vaporize, the right mixture of vapor and oxygen must be present, and there has to be a sufficient ignition source. Flammable and combustible fluids inside a vehicle’s engine include gasoline, coolant, engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and lubricants."
Henderson also said this specific car's engine block was made of magnesium, which is more susceptible to intense fire. It also takes more water to extinguish because once water is applied, it often produces sparks.
