Fire destroys car in west Belleville

A newly-replaced engine is blamed for a roaring fire that destroyed a car Wednesday afternoon on North Demazenod Drive near Illinois 15 in Belleville.

According to Belleville Fire Chief Tom Pour, the car’s owner called 911 at 1:26 p.m. The owner, a member of an earth moving crew working nearby and who had just replaced the car’s engine, said the engine had had bouts of smoking after it was installed.

Pour said the owner tried to get the hood of the car up before too much damage was done, but the latch already was burned away. The ensuing blaze engulfed the entire car and sent thick black smoke into the air.

The car was a total loss but the owner is fine.

Aside from a scorched patch of earth where the car burned, no other damage was reported due to the fire.

This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Fire destroys car in west Belleville."