CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — A Putnam County mother says her car burst into flames and that Clay County Fire Rescue showed up to put out the fire before she even had time to contact dispatch.
Courtney Barrett’s broken foot makes it difficult for her to keep up with her three kids.
The Putnam County mother said she couldn’t believe she made it out of her charred, melted car with just one injury.
She said, “I could have died.”
According to Barrett, her 2007 Chrysler Pacifica made some strange noises when she started it last week in Clay County.
She said it wasn’t until she had gone down the road a bit that she noticed smoke.
“I seen the smoke coming out of the side and then I heard 'pop.' That’s when I seen a little flame shoot out of the side of my hood,” she said.
Barrett said she pulled into a parking lot away from other cars and jumped out of the car.
Clay County Fire and Rescue happened to be there and didn’t hesitate.
“Before I was able to even turn around, Clay County Fire Rescue had the hose out and was prying my hood open,” she said.
Without their quick work, she said, she believes the situation could have ended tragically.
Barrett told Action News Jax, “It could have exploded. It could have made my whole car explode.”
The mother said the car fire has taken a financial toll on the family, but she’s glad to be alive and with her kids.
“They’re my heroes. If they weren’t there, I could have died,” she said of the Fire Rescue team.
Barrett said she believes her Chrysler Pacifica could have been affected by a recall.
Action News Jax checked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and found there weren’t any listed recalls on the vehicle.
You can check for recalls at this link.
Barrett said she won’t be able to go back to work for at least four weeks.
She set up a fundraiser to help cover her expenses. For more information on the fundraiser, click here.
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