A Good Samaritan is being praised for alerting a fellow driver Saturday whose car was on fire as he drove down North Freeway in Houston, Texas.
The incident happened at approximately 1:00 a.m. near Gulf Bank, ABC 13 reported.
The man was headed northbound on the freeway when the good Samaritan noticed flames emanating from the car and flashed their vehicle’s lights to get the driver’s attention, the Houston Fire Department (HFD) told the outlet.
The driver exited the freeway and pulled into a nearby parking lot as the flames spread over the interior of the car, HFD officials explained.
Video footage showed the vehicle engulfed in flames and firefighters working to put out the blaze.
There was no immediate report on what initially caused the fire, the ABC 13 article noted.
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) website said a car fire can happen without warning and potentially be deadly.
To prevent a vehicle fire, the agency recommended having one’s vehicle inspected every year and avoid parking where grass may touch the hot areas of the car.
“When you must carry gas, use only a container made for that purpose. Don’t carry it in the passenger area, and don’t store it in your car,” the site read.
In the event of a car fire, a driver should pull to the side of the road when it is safe to do so and switch off the engine. The driver should then help passengers out and have them move to a safe distance from the car before calling 911.
According to the National Motorists Association, over half of vehicle fires happen because of technical problems such as improper usage or additional equipment installation.
“It’s not always about whether your car is old or new but more about its condition and maintenance,” the website read.