Car Fire on Mountain Ave. Brings Downtown Springfield to a Halt

When Michael Hausman told Motor Vehicle Commission employees he was going to need to step outside instead of finishing his paperwork, no one argued.

The Springfield resident had a pretty compelling reason for a break: his car was on fire.

The black BMW parked outside the apartment complex across the municipal parking lot went up in flames after a power line fell onto it shortly 4 p.m. on Friday, July 22. Witnesses said the block was filled with black smoke from the blaze. The car was empty, and no one was hurt. Though the fire spewed black ash around the area of the fire, it seems it was contained just to the single car.

Springfield police and fire responded to the accident, but with electricity still coursing through the wire, emergency responders were unable to act. They contacted Jersey Central Power & Light, who cut power so they could work safely.

Springfield fire were able to put out the fire, but not before it was burned down to an ash-colored, deformed frame looking like set dressing on an apocalyptic science fiction movie.

The power down forced the Motor Vehicle Commission and library to close. Businesses up and down Morris Ave. likewise were left without power. Some stores stayed open despite the lack of electricity and the afternoon's record high temperatures; others called it an early evening.

Springfield police blocked off the section of Mountain Ave. where the car caught fire. And directed motorists on Morris Ave., where traffic lights were knocked out of commission.

UPDATE: Power was returned to Morris Ave. by 6:45 p.m. 

Also, Patch reader and Luke's Kitchen owner Rod Hernandez captured video of the car while it was on fire and uploaded the video to YouTube. The video is also embedded in this story.