Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Spilled gas fueled garage fire as teen worked on auto A Fayetteville teen escaped injury Monday afternoon when a car he was repairing caught fire in the garage of his home at 250 Mimosa Drive, officials said. After a spark caught leaked fuel on fire underneath the engine, Keenan Phillips, 17, ran back into the house and shut the door, said Lt. Bill Rieck of the Fayetteville Fire Department. That action kept the fire from spreading to the rest of the home, he added. Firefighters had to enter the garage from the home after the heat caused the garage door to close shut, Rieck said. After knocking down the flames, firefighters pushed the car outside the garage. The fire damage was limited to the garage and the vehicle, but the kitchen area of the home received light smoke damage, Rieck added. After dialing 911 to report the fire, Phillips intended to use a garden hose to try and extinguish the flames, but it was good that he didn’t, Rieck said.