Van in Kohl's Parking Lot 'Fully Engulfed' in Flames

A van was completely destroyed by a fire the officials believe spontaneously broke out in its engine Friday morning in Ramsey, Fire Chief Randy Sterbinsky told Patch Friday. Borough firefighters responded to the burning van while it was parked near Kohl’s in the Ramsey Square shopping center off Route 17 North, he said.

“When we got there [at about 10:45 a.m. Friday], the car was fully involved, and there was fire coming out of the engine,” Sterbinsky said. “By that point it is too far gone to save the vehicle.”

Officials said they are unsure if the fire started while the van was parked in the lot, or while it was driving on Route 17, and the driver pulled into the lot to escape the fire. But, the van’s occupants were nearby and the car door was open when firefighters arrived, Sterbinsky said.

The van’s occupants were unharmed, but one Ramsey firefighter hurt his back while setting up a hose to fight the car fire, Sterbinsky said.

The van was parked one space away from other cars in the lot, so the fire did not spread and nothing else was damaged, firefighters said. Authorities are unsure what started the blaze, Sterbinsky said.

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