| Driving down the street with the setting sun at his | | | | confirmed: his new Volvo XC90 was on fire! Minutes |
| back, Bob Cummins navigated around parked cars | | | | later the fire was extinguished but Bob's SUV was |
| and fire hydrants to find the right place to park. It just | | | | destroyed. |
| wasn't something that was easy to do - finding a | | | | An important part of your vehicle's emission system is |
| vacant spot - on his narrow, winding suburban street. | | | | the catalytic converter. It is tasked with reducing |
| Wedged between two business districts, Bob's block | | | | harmful emissions that pollute the atmosphere and it |
| was frequently filled with cars from outside the area, | | | | has been a part of nearly every passenger vehicle |
| taking away from the already limited on street parking. | | | | built since the mid 1970s. Unfortunately, the catalytic |
| While he knew he could simply pull into his own | | | | converter can also run very hot and, at the same time, |
| driveway and park, he also knew that he'd have to | | | | spark ignition of anything that it comes into contact |
| move vehicles around later when his wife, Susan, | | | | with. In Bob's case, it was his 2005 Volvo that was |
| returned home with the kids. | | | | parked directly over a small leaf pile that started the |
| Glancing out of his right mirror he noticed it and | | | | fire that destroyed his XC90. |
| slammed on his breaks. A car pulled out of a spot | | | | When parking your vehicle, take care to make sure |
| down the street behind him and its driver pulled into a | | | | that no debris is on the ground directly underneath your |
| nearby driveway and exited the car. Bob slowly | | | | car. Even a small pile of dried out leaves can be just |
| backed up halfway down the block and slipped his | | | | enough fodder for a fire. In the case of a high profile |
| Volvo XC90 into the empty spot. A little tight, he | | | | vehicle, such as the XC90, the clearance between the |
| thought, as he left just enough room between the | | | | bottom of your vehicle and the ground is higher, |
| driveway in front of him and the car behind him for his | | | | meaning you many not notice anything underneath |
| SUV. Within moments Bob left the comfort of his | | | | when backing into an empty parking space. |
| Volvo and stepped inside the foyer of his center hall | | | | Hundreds of vehicle fires every year are attributed to |
| colonial. | | | | motorists who park their cars over leaves; |
| Less than ten minutes later the sounds of sirens filled | | | | unfortunately this practice almost always results in the |
| the neighborhood. At first, Bob did not give it much | | | | total loss of the vehicle due to excessive fire damage. |
| thought, but as the sirens drew closer he decided to | | | | Play it safe when parking your car, truck, van, or SUV |
| step outside to investigate. To his utter horror, a car | | | | by examining the area underneath it to make sure that |
| just two houses down from his home was engulfed in | | | | is completely free of all debris. |
| flames. Within moments his worst fears were | | | | |