According to officials with the Forest Hill Police Department, a vehicle crashed into a house, causing the vehicle to catch fire. Furthermore, the driver of the vehicle was not the owner: the driver had stolen the vehicle, and fled the scene of the accident. Five individuals were temporarily moved out of the home due to the crash. Officials are still on the lookout for the suspect that caused the accident, which police say was fleeing from a police officer that was attempting to pull him over for speeding.

When officers arrived at the scene of the crash, the vehicle was up in flames, so much so that the vehicle caught fire and burned straight through the house’s front wall. Firefighters responded to the scene and took the fire out. The family dog was the only one in the home when the accident took place and was rushed out of the house when the homeowner arrived. The homeowner mentioned that the dog was sitting in the living room of the house, very scared to what was happening.

As previously mentioned, the suspect is still on the loose.

Why Did The Vehicle Catch Fire?

Even though it may seem like a simple question, there may actually be a variety of explanations as to why the vehicle (and subsequently the house) caught fire. For example:

  • The engine was damaged: Car engines are composed of many parts, some which are combustible and some that are not. If an engine gets impacted in a strong way, the parts and components can hit or cause friction with other components, which can cause a spark to ensue. Sparks that occur next to gas lines can be very dangerous, and the vehicle could easily catch fire from this.
  • A vehicle fuel line broke: If a vehicle fuel line broke and made contact with an electrical part, a fire could have easily been caused.
  • Electronics in the vehicle exploded: Electronics, even though they are advanced pieces of technology, are not incombustible. When electronic components in vehicle get impacted, they can catch fire.

Many other explanations may exist as to why the vehicle caught fire. Ultimately, the most important thing is that nobody (or dog) was injured in the accident.

What Would You Take If Your House Caught Fire?

If your house happened to catch fire, either from a broken gas line or because a vehicle crashed into it, which items would you hurry to save? Would you take out your computer, legal documents, or pictures? These are things that people hardly think of, and it is important to have safe that is fireproof where a family’s most important documents and information can survive should a fire occur. Additionally, having an emergency plan as to what family members should do in the event of a fire should be something that is discussed in a family meeting. Also, having fire insurance could be an enormous emotional, financial, and legal benefit. Know what to do when a fire happens before it happens.

Tell us which items you would save from a house fire in the comments below and please remember, drive safely.