‘Like something out of a war zone’: More than 70 vehicles catch fire, explode at pumpkin patch

TEMPLE, Texas — A Saturday afternoon at the pumpkin patch turned into a nightmare for many families when dozens of cars burst into flames and exploded.

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The fire was first reported at The Robinson Family Farm at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The first crews who arrived at the scene found approximately 10 cars on fire in the parking lot, KWTX reported.

“We saw black smoke, and we’re like, something legit is on fire,” Kat Cabana, one of the visitors whose cars was damaged, told WFAA. “You could hear glass exploding, what I assume was tired popping, exploding, people’s gas tanks exploding. The wind was taking the smoke and making it bigger and bigger.”

“It looked like something out of a war zone,” John Bessick, a veteran who was there and helped evacuate families, told KXXV. “Since I have PTSD, it was kind of nerve-wracking.”

Multiple fire departments were called to assist to put out the fire, which eventually destroyed 73 cars, KWTX reported.

“The windows are gone, handles are melted off, tires are gone,” Cabana told WFAA. “We’re OK, cars can be replaced.”

In a Facebook post, The Robinson Family Farm said that nobody was hurt, and thanked the first responders and customers who worked to help keep everyone safe. The farm said that it would be closed on Sunday, and plans to reopen next weekend, and extend the season for an additional weekend.

“I saw the black smoke, I mean it was just pouring,” Jimi Hernandez told KWTX. “I was like, I’ll be right back. I took off running. I didn’t know what was on fire, but I knew it wasn’t good.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but an initial report suggested the fire may have been started by an “inappropriately discarded cigarette in the parking area,” KXXV reported.

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