This incident occured on July 30, 2008:
I was on my way home tonight and made a pit stop at the 7-11 just a few blocks from my place. As I pulled in, there was a car partially blocking the entrance that had smoke pouring out of the engine. I thought I noticed a glowing underneath the car, but the driver was getting out...so I didn't pay much attention to it.
I parked and proceeded into the store and made my purchase. This took about 2 minutes. By the time I walked out of the store, a small blaze had started under the smoking car...please keep in mind this is all happening a mere 5 feet from the gas pumps.
I had left my phone at home (to avoid checking for messages that would never come), so I went inside the store and let the clerks (all three of them) know that there was a car on fire in the parking lot.
Rather than immediately calling 911, one of them grabbed a small fire extiguisher and came outside. After fumbling around with the extinguisher for a few minutes (all the while the flames getting larger and now about 2 feet above the car) finally went back inside to call the fire department.
Now, not only do I have to wonder why the clerks didn't dial 911 immediately, but why on earth wouldn't the owners of that car-who were on their cell phone with someone-call the fire department as soon as the fire was noticed? By the time the fire fighters got there the entire front of this car was engulfed in flames. The car, needless to say, was ... (fill in the blank).
People never cease to amaze me. I only wished I did have my phone so I could've taken a picture of the ridculous scene. And...maybe I should have stuck around to meet some fire fighters...hmmm...shoulda coulda woulda, right?
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