By Alex Hinojosa
The El Paso Times
EL PASO, Texas — A 90-year-old man man escaped injury Saturday when his vehicle caught fire in Downtown El Paso.
Officials were called to the fire about 1:30 p.m. and blocked the intersection of Stanton and Wyoming for about an hour while firefighters extinguished it and investigated.
The driver, Robert Throckmorton, said he was heading north on Stanton when another motorist honked at him.
“As soon as he told me (about the fire), I pulled over and got out of the car,” Throckmorton said. “I got out right away.”
George De La Torre, spokes man for the El Paso Fire Department, said the brakes in the car heated up and caused the fire.
Throckmorton said he was happy to be OK. “It was scary as hell,” he said.
De La Torre urged everyone to have their vehicles inspected by a certified and trained mechanic to prevent a fire.
“You should avoid smoking, but if you must — then always use the ashtray,” De La Torre said. “Be alert to the sounds of your vehicle as it is running and checking for fume exhaust that may be coming from the tailpipe. This is a problem that can later lead to a fire.”
Other things to look for are fluid leaks, cracked or blistered hoses and loose or faulty electrical wires. These should be checked and repaired quickly, De La Torre said.
If your vehicle catches fire, officials said, the most important action is to stop and pull to the side of the road, turn off the ignition, get out, move 100 feet away from the vehicle and then call for help.
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