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Mother, toddler escape as car catches fire

DUBAI — A mother and her two-year-old daughter had a miraculous escape yesterday afternoon when her car caught fire outside her elder daughter's school.

Elaine Derrick, who resides in the Arabian Ranches, was about to reverse and park outside The English College Dubai, Primary School off Shaikh Zayed Road near the third interchange, when she noticed smoke emitting from her car bonnet.

"I was about to reverse my Range Rover when I noticed the smoke. I immediately took my two-year-old daughter and rushed out of the car, which caught fire in a few minutes. Some parents, who had come to pick up their kids from the school, tried to put out the fire with extinguishers from the school," said Elaine.

Civil Defence officials rushed to the spot and put out the fire by which time the car's front part was completely burnt and the tyres had melted.

"I am a bit shaken up by the whole incident. Luckily, I didn't have my elder daughter in the car. If this had happened on the Shaikh Zayed Road, it would have caused a major accident and a jam," said the mother.

Elaine's daughter studies in Year I of The English College Dubai. Her husband rushed to the spot from work, when he heard about the fire.

Parents, who witnessed the black Range Rover burn, were also disturbed by what they saw. "Thankfully, the two were able to escape the fire in the nick of the time. I dread to imagine what would have happened if she had left her daughter waiting in the car to pick up her other child. This is a grim reminder for all of us to check our cars regularly and ensure we don't leave children in the cars in this heat," said a mother.

Though the incident took place off the Shaikh Zayed Road, towards Abu Dhabi, it caused a major traffic jam.