NHTSA Complaint #10939504 — 2008 SMART FORTWO

I WAS IN AN OFFICE BUILDING WHEN I A CITY FIRE MARSHAL CAME IN AND INFORMED ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT. I FOUND THIS TO BE VERY HARD TO BELIEVE AS IT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR OVER AN HOUR AND ONE HALF. THE FIRE DEPT. HAD BROKEN MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, OPENED THE CAR AND SPRAYED IT WITH CHEMICALS. I WAS INFORMED THE FIRE HAD STARTED FROM WIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS CAUGHT EARLY AND DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL, BUT THE CAR WAS NOT ATTENDED NOR WAS THE ENGINE HOT AS IT HAD NOT BEEN IN USE FOR SOME TIME. HAD IT BEEN IN A CLOSED GARAGE IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER.