vreihen
🇺🇸 2014 NCV3 170" cargo with OM651
Let the armchair quarterbacking begin.....
https://ktla.com/news/california/it...ifornia-woman-escapes-from-burning-uber-ride/
‘It was terrifying’: Southern California woman escapes from burning Uber ride
by: Vivian Chow
Posted: Apr 1, 2026 / 11:11 PM PDT
Updated: Apr 1, 2026 / 11:11 PM PDT
A Southern California woman is still in shock after escaping from a burning Uber ride moments before the vehicle burst into flames.
Erin Sloan had boarded an Uber shuttle ride from John F. Kennedy International Airport with about six other passengers on March 24.
As they traveled on the highway, she suddenly heard something fall from underneath the Mercedes-Benz minibus several times, and, shortly after, sensed heat emanating from under her seat.
The driver pulled over and as the passengers quickly exited the car, smoke began to fill the interior cabin and growing fire could be seen under the van.
“That is our Uber and it is melting,” Sloan is heard saying in a video she recorded of the van eventually engulfed in flames as a thick cloud of smoke filled the air.
An officer who was heading to work spotted the burning van and pulled over to help. At one point, Sloan tried to approach the van to retrieve her belongings, but was stopped by the officer out of precaution.
“Thank goodness, because the entire inner carriage where people were [initially] seated just burst into flames,” she said. “The glass started to shatter, the metal started to pop. It was terrifying. It was scary.”
Fire crews eventually extinguished the blaze, but not without difficulty.
“It was wild to see how many times [fire crews] would almost have it extinguished and it would go into a huge flame again,” she recalled. “There was nothing left of this car. Within four minutes, the entire thing was engulfed.”
Sloan said after contacting Uber, she was reimbursed for her ride costs. She was also thankful for the officer who stopped to help them.
“I’m sure it was a fluke accident and I hope there aren’t any other [similar] incidents,” she said.
https://ktla.com/news/california/it...ifornia-woman-escapes-from-burning-uber-ride/
‘It was terrifying’: Southern California woman escapes from burning Uber ride
by: Vivian Chow
Posted: Apr 1, 2026 / 11:11 PM PDT
Updated: Apr 1, 2026 / 11:11 PM PDT
A Southern California woman is still in shock after escaping from a burning Uber ride moments before the vehicle burst into flames.
Erin Sloan had boarded an Uber shuttle ride from John F. Kennedy International Airport with about six other passengers on March 24.
As they traveled on the highway, she suddenly heard something fall from underneath the Mercedes-Benz minibus several times, and, shortly after, sensed heat emanating from under her seat.
The driver pulled over and as the passengers quickly exited the car, smoke began to fill the interior cabin and growing fire could be seen under the van.
“That is our Uber and it is melting,” Sloan is heard saying in a video she recorded of the van eventually engulfed in flames as a thick cloud of smoke filled the air.
An officer who was heading to work spotted the burning van and pulled over to help. At one point, Sloan tried to approach the van to retrieve her belongings, but was stopped by the officer out of precaution.
“Thank goodness, because the entire inner carriage where people were [initially] seated just burst into flames,” she said. “The glass started to shatter, the metal started to pop. It was terrifying. It was scary.”
Fire crews eventually extinguished the blaze, but not without difficulty.
“It was wild to see how many times [fire crews] would almost have it extinguished and it would go into a huge flame again,” she recalled. “There was nothing left of this car. Within four minutes, the entire thing was engulfed.”
Sloan said after contacting Uber, she was reimbursed for her ride costs. She was also thankful for the officer who stopped to help them.
“I’m sure it was a fluke accident and I hope there aren’t any other [similar] incidents,” she said.
