Battalion Chief Darren Nelson said Park City firefighters responded to reports of a white hatchback on fire around 7:20 a.m.
“When they arrived, it was fully engulfed in the engine compartment. Big header—it looked pretty impressive that time in the morning with the cold air,” Nelson said, “there was a big plume of smoke over by the schools.”
The fire happened during morning dropoff at McPolin Elementary School and nearby Park City High School.
“The owner-occupant of the car actually had enough foresight to not pull into a bunch of traffic, but she pulled into a vacated area of the parking lot,” he said.
Nelson said crews put out the fire in five minutes or less. There were no injuries reported, but out of an abundance of caution, school officials evacuated McPolin.
“Which didn't last very long,” Nelson said. “The building was never threatened, and so the students were quickly allowed to go back into the school.”
The cause is under investigation.
“With vehicles, it's always really hard to tell,” the battalion chief explained. “You've got so many electrical components. You've got other things going on—different heat sources. Often with vehicle fires, the cause is undetermined.”
The fire happened on McPolin Elementary’s bike to school day. Some parents reported a slowdown during dropoff, but with the fire put out, school proceeded normally Sept. 6.
