The charred remains of a 1994 Cadillac after it caught fire at the Mapco Mart located on 8100 Standifer Gap Road.
A father rescued his five children from his car this afternoon as it burned out of control next to a gas pump, officials say.A father rescued his five children from his car this afternoon as it burned out of control next to a gas pump, officials say.
The fire took place about 3:15 p.m. at the Mapco Mart at 8100 Standifer Gap Road, said Amy Maxwell, spokeswoman for the Hamilton County Emergency Services.
A man carrying his children home from school noticed that his 1994 Cadillac was smoking and pulled into the Mapco, Maxwell said. When he opened the hood, fire poured out and quickly spread to the rest of the car, she said.
The man got his five children safely out of the car as the fire spread to the nearby gas pump.
An employee inside the store hit the "emergency stop" button, which cut off the supply of gas and electricity to the pump and then called 911, Maxwell said.
Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire within 5 minutes.
The cause of the fire is undetermined, she said.