A Ferrari owner says his car burst into flames at a Northern California gas station and then rolled away on its own, avoiding a major explosion.

Al Cui told KNTV-TV he was pumping gas into his Ferrari at a gas station in Martinez on Sunday night when it suddenly caught fire.

Cui saw flames shooting from the engine, so he retrieved a fire extinguisher to douse the fire, KPIX-TV reported. But the fire was too intense.

That’s when the Ferrari started rolling until it stopped several feet away in the road. Cui said the Ferrari was in gear, so he’s not sure how it started driving away.


Firefighters eventually put out the blaze, but it was scary for many involved.

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“As far-fetched as that may sound,” that’s what happened, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Mike Eglite told KNTV-TV. It’s “almost like a scene out of ‘Back to the Future.’”

Cui and others at the gas station ran for cover because they feared the sports car would explode near the pumping stations, KPIX-TV reported.


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