The Night my Neighbour’s Car caught fire

By Sharoneez Emephia

A few weeks ago, my brother, who lives in a different part of the city, came over to visit.

In addition to being siblings, we also happen to be business partners, and on this particular evening, we had a project to wrap up.

By the time we were done, it was already quite late, and for security reasons, he decided to spend the night and head home the next morning.

Not more than ten minutes after he retired to the guest room, I began to hear loud voices outside.

I was in the living room watching a film, and the shouting came through quite clearly. At first, I wondered if the security personnel in the neighbourhood had apprehended a thief and were dishing out some form of jungle justice, or what else could be the cause of such commotion at that hour? It was approximately 11 p.m.

Normally, I would ring the estate security officer if anything suspicious occurred. I dialled his number; it rang several times, but there was no answer. Meanwhile, the clamour outside intensified.

I became increasingly uneasy. Eventually, I stepped out to the balcony to get a clearer view, and to my utter disbelief, I spotted flames raging fiercely just beyond my fence. What on earth was going on?

I quickly unlocked the security grille to my apartment and rushed outside. That was when I discovered that a parked car, belonging to a resident in the neighbouring apartment complex, had suddenly burst into flames. The vehicle had been stationary, and its owner was not even around at the time. Fortunately, the security personnel noticed the incident early and raised an alarm.

Neighbours whose vehicles were parked nearby began frantically moving them out of harm’s way. Security guards from surrounding compounds also rallied together, attempting to extinguish the blaze, despite the vehicle’s bonnet being locked, which made the effort more difficult.

It was a frightening sight. In an instant, my mind was flooded with worry. Just across the fence, in my own compound, were eight parked vehicles, some belonging to neighbours who often travelled out of town at weekends, leaving their cars behind. If the fire were to spread, how would we evacuate all those vehicles quickly?

Suddenly, an even more urgent thought hit me, my brother was still fast asleep in the guest room, completely unaware of what was happening. I ran back into the flat and shouted for him to wake up, yelling that there was a fire next door. He sprang up and followed me outside as we assessed how much progress had been made in putting out the fire.

The makeshift “firefighters” were still struggling to contain the flames. There was a genuine concern that the vehicle could explode, especially if the fuel tank was still full, and remember, the owner was yet to return.

At that point, it occurred to me that we needed to get properly dressed, after all, we were still in our nightwear. I also began to mentally take stock of where I had placed my most important items: my laptop, digital camera, external hard drives, cheque books, passport, and other essential documents, just in case the fire spread and we had to evacuate.

It was no laughing matter.

By divine intervention and sheer communal effort, the fire was eventually put out. Yet, no one rushed back indoors. We all lingered outside well past midnight, perhaps waiting to be absolutely sure the fire had been completely extinguished, before those who had moved their vehicles out began driving them back in.

Since that night, I’ve been asking myself: what could cause a stationary car to suddenly catch fire?

The vehicle hadn’t just returned from a trip; it had been parked, idle. There was no ignition, no activity, just stillness, until it ignited.

Though we never arrived at a definite explanation, residents of our compound have now agreed on some precautionary measures: if anyone plans to be away for a period of time, they must disconnect their car battery. In addition, they should ensure someone they trust has access to the car keys, so in case of an emergency, the vehicle can be moved.

I’d also advise everyone to keep fire extinguishers at key points around the house and premises, not as an act of fear, but as an act of wisdom. It’s also essential to have the local fire service’s emergency numbers saved on speed dial.

And finally, may we never experience the horror of a sudden fire, neither around us, nor in the lives of our loved ones.