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Fire officials are uncertain what caused Roanoke car to ignite

Berglund Automotive Group has provided Janice Gray a loaner while it investigates.

JOEL HAWKSLEY | The Roanoke Times

Janice Gray’s car caught fire in the garage at her home in the 2300 block of York Road Southwest in Roanoke.

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Jordan Fifer | 981-3349

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

The charred front of Janice Gray’s sedan looks nothing like the sky-blue rear that was untouched Monday by flames.

A day after fire scorched the car and sent smoke into her basement and portions of her Roanoke house, Gray said she’s thankful she and her family are alive.

“We’re all safe and thank goodness it was contained to the garage,” Gray said. “Just thankful it wasn’t any worse.”

Gray, 58, had just returned home from having her 2006 Buick LaCrosse serviced at Berglund Chevrolet Buick a bit after 6:20 p.m. when she spotted smoke coming from the car’s hood. By the time her friend arrived home just a few minutes later, flames were popping from the front.

Firefighters doused the blaze at her home on York Road Southwest within about 10 minutes. Roanoke Fire-EMS spokeswoman Tiffany Bradbury said the fire started in the car’s engine compartment, but that further determination of a specific cause would likely come from Gray’s or Berglund’s insurance companies.

In an emailed statement, William Farrell, president of Berglund Automotive Group, said the company is working to find out what happened and whether the fire could have been prevented. They’ve provided Gray with a loaner car while she makes new arrangements.

“We were deeply concerned when Mrs. Gray contacted us about what happened to the car and to her house,” Farrell said. “We are currently following the investigation as we want to know what caused the situation to occur.”

Tom Scarce, 68, a friend of Gray’s who has lived with her in the York Road house for 20 years, said they bought the car new from Berglund in 2007. Gray said she paid just over $281 for the sedan to be serviced and inspected Monday, which included an oil change, a cleaning of the engine’s fuel injectors and work on the car’s coolant system.

There have been no recalls for the 2006 model Buick that Gray owns relevant to the engine compartment.

Gray and Scarce, who are both retired, plan to stay with family for a few days while the house is cleaned of smoke damage.

Kasey, an 11-year-old cat that was unaccounted for Monday, was found Tuesday, Gray said. After consuming some treats, he bolted back out the door and hid in some bushes, she said.

Gray said she’s just glad she hadn’t left the car and gone into the house, where she might not have noticed the fire sparking in the first place.

“What can you do?” she said. “Be thankful that you’re safe and healthy and a little bit inconvenienced. But that happens in life.”

Saturday, September 14, 2013