Car Hits Deer One Day, Catches Fire the Next

A family on a cross-country trek lost an SUV they were towing while driving through La Grange Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 5.

La Grange Volunteer Fire Department got the call around 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday reporting a vehicle fire on SH 71 Bypass at the east end of town. A Dodge pickup towing a black Nissan Pathfinder was heading west. Fire Chief Frank Menefee said the driver of the Dodge stopped near the westbound entrance ramp at Ellinger Highway after noticing flames coming from the engine compartment of the Nissan. The fire appeared to have started under the hood on the driver’s side. The driver unhooked the Pathfinder and drove the Dodge away to a safe distance. Flames quickly engulfed the SUV.

The Nissan was fully engulfed when the first fire truck arrived. Firefighters extinguished the fire, but not before the Nissan and all of the contents were a complete loss.

Menefee said the family had been driving from Florida. Menefee did not know how the fire started. He said the driver reported that they hit a deer the day before in Florida. The deer went under both vehicles, he said. Menefee said the deer may have damaged something under the Nissan that led to the fire on Tuesday.