NHTSA Complaint #10150209 — 2006 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

ON FEBRUARY 8, 2006 AT 20:15 HOURS, THE MONMOUTH COUNTY FIRE MARSHALS OFFICE WAS REQUESTED TO THE SCENE OF A VEHICLE FIRE LOCATED ON WHISTLER DRIVE, FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP. BACKGROUND:THE VEHICLE, A 2006 CHRYSLER (MODEL PACIFICA, COLOR WHITE, 4DR) BEARING NEW JERSEY REGISTRATION #[XXX] (VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION #[XXX] IS OWN BY ELRAC INC. OF 1550 ROUTE 23 NORTH, WAYNE, NEW JERSEY 07470, WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF 2-3 WHISTLER DRIVE. INTERVIEW: OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE STATED AT APPROXIMATELY 19:50 PM THIS DATE HE WENT TO THE VEHICLE AFTER RECEIVING A PHONE CALL FROM HIS WIFE WHO NEEDED A RIDE FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AT THIS TIME HE ENTERED THE VEHICLE VIA THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, HE THEN STATED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY OBSERVED SMOKE AND FIRE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT AND FLOOR BOARD AREA. HE THEN IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, CLOSED THE DOOR AND RETURNED TO HIS RESIDENCE TO CALL 9-1-1. PHYSICAL INSPECTION: THE VEHICLE WAS LOCATED IN A TYPICAL PARKING STALL. THE EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE REVEALED HEAVY FIRE DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. ALL ELECTRICAL WIRES FROM THE DRIVER SEAT INDICATED SIGNS OF EXTENSIVE HEAT DAMAGE. AN INSPECTION OF THE INTERIOR FRONT DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE INDICATED A LOW BURN. THE BURN PATTERN IN THIS AREA MOVED UPWARD AND OUT. DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THIS VEHICLE FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT, MULTIPLE FIRE EXPOSURES OCCURRED. ALL ADDITIONAL VEHICLES THAT RECEIVED FIRE DAMAGE ARE LISTED IN THIS REPORT. CAUSE AND ORIGIN:FROM THE ACCOUNTS OF THE EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE, AS WELL AS BURN PATTERNS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ORIGIN OF THIS FIRE WAS LOCATED AROUND THE INTERIOR DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR. A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION COULD NOT BE RULED OUT AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THIS FIRE. THIS FIRE HAS BEEN CONSIDERED ACCIDENTAL IN NATURE. INVESTIGATION CLOSED. *NM UPDATE 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)