A 2014 Dodge Journey was engulfed in flames beside a Crawford hay field when firefighters reached the scene on Friday night.
Catherine Pass, who was born and raised in Oglethorpe County, but now lives in Athens, had just left a surprise birthday celebration for her pastor at Thankful Grove Baptist Church. After dropping off her mother, she was heading home when she heard a crackling sound and smelled something burning.
She pulled over near the Georgia Farm Bureau on Highway 78 and saw blue smoke, followed by flames coming up the side of her vehicle.
“I unbuckled my seatbelt, grabbed my pocketbook, and I even grabbed my work ID,” Pass said. “Why I grabbed it, I don’t know.”
She checked for traffic and crossed the highway.
“As soon as I got out and made it across the road, it just went up in flames,” Pass said.
The first 911 call came in at 8:42 p.m. for a vehicle fire at 925 Athens Road. Oglethorpe County 911 director Angela Jackson said the caller reported the vehicle was on fire and close to a hay field.
Crawford, Devils Pond and Lexington fire departments, and Oglethorpe County deputies were dispatched. Georgia Forestry was dispatched because of the vehicle’s proximity to the field.
Six firefighters and two fire engines responded to the fire, Deputy Fire Chief Rocky Miller said. Miller wasn’t at the scene, but he communicated with the firefighters there. Crews had the flames under control in about 13 minutes, Miller said.
Josh Robinson, Oglethorpe County EMS director and a Crawford volunteer firefighter who responded to the scene, said firefighters remained there for about 20-30 minutes as crews extinguished the fire and made sure the driver was safe.
With the SUV burning beside the hay field, firefighters soaked the edge of the field while continuing to put water on the burning vehicle.
“Their job at that point is to make sure everybody is safe, everybody’s out of the car, and then secure the surrounding area,” Miller said.
Firefighters wore self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) because smoke from vehicle fires can be toxic, Miller said.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
“Our job isn’t to determine what causes it. It’s just to put it out,” Miller said.
If firefighters suspect foul play, he said, the incident can be referred to the state fire inspector for further investigation.
The westbound lane of Highway 78 was closed while crews worked at the scene. Vehicles used the remaining lane, Jackson said. Deputies handled traffic control.
The fire was out and the westbound lane reopened at about 9:24 p.m., Jackson said. The incident remained active until about 9:53 p.m. while crews cleared the scene.
“We run toward what everybody else runs away from,” Miller said. “Those guys Friday night did an unbelievable job.”