Car on fire, driver jumps into manhole to escape flames

Gurgaon: A car went up in flames near Star Mall in Sector 31 on Saturday. The driver leaped out and jumped into an open manhole nearby to douse the flames that had spread to his shirt.
While the vehicle was gutted, the man was rescued eventually and admitted to hospital with burns.
Officials from the fire department said they were informed about the incident at 3.50pm.One vehicle was sent from the fire station to douse the flames.
“When we reached the spot, we found that the car was engulfed in flames and completely damaged. We could not find the driver anywhere and feared the worst. But then, we spotted a person peeping out from an open manhole and calling out to us,” fire officer Naveen Mehra said.
The driver was identified as Randhir. Originally from Hisar, Randhir has been staying in Sector 40.
He had gone out for work and parked his Maruti Alto adjacent to a green belt on the service lane near Star Mall when it suddenly caught fire, officials said.
“By the time he managed to leave the car, his clothes too had caught fire. So, he jumped into the manhole to douse the flames on his body as there was no other immediate source of water available,” Mehra added.
Randhir was rushed to the govt hospital in Sector 10, where he is undergoing treatment for burn injuries in the hands and neck.
The reason behind the fire has not been ascertained so far but prima facie, it appears to be a short circuit in the car, officials said.