Tourists' screams warn mum before car explodes

A woman and two children abandoned their car and groceries after the vehicle caught fire yesterday. Photo / Kerry Molloy

Tourists heading to a luxury lodge screamed at a Far North mum to get away from her car seconds before it exploded in a fireball.

The manager of Kauri Cliffs Lodge, Kerry Molloy, was taking four American cruise ship passengers to the luxury lodge and golf course near Matauri Bay on Wednesday when they saw smoke seeping from the bonnet of a car stopped on the verge beside Matauri Bay Rd.

A woman was removing her groceries from the boot while two children waited next to the car.

Because the boot was blocking her view, the woman couldn't see that the smoke had turned to flames. The children, who were sitting on the other side of the car, were equally oblivious.

Mr Molloy said he started tooting his horn to warn her while the Americans screamed at her to get away from the car.

She collected her children and started walking away, but still hadn't realised the gravity of the situation.

She started running after the first explosion. A second, much larger, blast sent flames leaping almost to nearby power lines and threw up a thick column of black smoke.

"It went with a massive bang, bits of car everywhere. From brown smoke to explosion in no more than 40 seconds,'' Mr Molloy said.

Volunteers from the Kaeo Fire Brigade doused the little that remained of the car, the fire engine needing 25 minutes to reach the isolated area.

No one was injured and the cause of the fire was not known.