NHTSA Complaint #10587960 — 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY

SPOUSE [XXX] WAS DRIVING THE FAMILY AND ME OUT TO DINNER ON MAY 9, 2014 FOR MOTHER'S DAY.THE GAS TANK WAS ON ONE-FOURTH A TANK SO BEFORE ON TO THE EXPRESSWAY WE STOP TO GET SOME GAS. [XXX] MADE A STATEMENT HE SAID, "HE SAID THE GAS HAND STILL HASN'T MOVED MUCH AFTER WE PUT $40.00 TOGETHER OF GAS IN THE VAN. WE PUT GAS IN THE VAN AT THE GAS STATION AT 63RD AND CALIFORNIA. AFTER GETTING GAS WE PROCEED TOWARD WESTERN AVE. ON WESTER AVE. [XXX] DROVE FROM71ST AND WESTERN TO 111 & WESTERN WHEN WE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. WE THOUGHT THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM A VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF US. WE MADE NO BIG DEAL ABOUT IT UNTIL THE VAN BEGIN TO SMOKE TREMENDOUS. [XXX] STOP THE CAR AN PULLED OVER. THE SMOKE INCREASED IN FRONT OF THE CAR ON THE DRIVERS AS [XXX] STOOD THERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON, I SAW A BLAZE OF FIRE. I BEGIN SCREAMING THE VAN IS ON FIRE, THE VAN IS ON FIRE. I JUMP OUT OF THE VEHICLE THE BLAZE GOT LARGER. MY DAUGHTER AND MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WHO IS MENTALLY CHALLENGED WAS IN THE SECOND ROW OF SEATS BUCKLED UP. I GOT BACK IN THE CAR TO TURN ON THE EMERGENCY SIGNAL TO LET THE OTHER DRIVERS KNOW THAT WE NEEDED HELP. I YELLED AT MY FAMILY ON THE SECOND ROW AGAIN, GET OUT THE VAN THE VAN IS ON FIRE. THEY BEHAVE AS IF THEY COULD NOT HEAR ME OR UNDERSTAND WHAT I WA SAYING. SO, I BEGIN TO BANG ON THE WINDOW GET OUT GET OUT THE VAN IS ON FIRE.AFTER THE VAN WAS FULL BLAZED AND THE EMERGENCY WAS ON THE BANGING GOT THEM OUT. THERE WAS REDDISH BROWN LIQUID ALL IN THE SURROUNDING AREA WHERE THE VAN WAS PARK. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME WITH TWO TOW TRUCKS. I GOT MY FAMILY TO SAFETY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRAIN TRACKS BY 111 & MARSHFIELD WHILE [XXX] TALKED TO FIRE FIGHTERS AND THE TOW MEN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR