Car goes up in flames on Portage Avenue

A Winnipeg father and daughter sprang into action when they came across a car engulfed in flames on Portage Avenue Friday.

AlbertineWatson said they were heading west when, across from Polo Park, they saw the car.

"It was just on fire," she said. "Two people were standing maybe 20 feet away, looking rather upset, looking at their car on fire ... so that's when my dad and I pulled over to see what was going on."

Watson's sister just finished firefighter training, which she said has made her much more aware of the risks of fire.

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They thought there was a fire extinguisher in their car but couldn't find it,so Watson called 911.

Watsonsaid her father jumped into action and ran over to the vehicle because he was worried someone might be inside.

"The car was pretty smoky and you couldn't really see. So he ran over, and there was nobody inside thankfully ... they had some bags or something in there, he took those out for them," she said.

Very quickly emergency crews showed up, blocked trafficand began putting out the fire, resulting in a huge plume of smoke, she said.

"Obviously there was still fuel in the car, and they had to try to get it out as fast as possible before the fire reached the fuel tank," Waston said.

'Somebody has to call 911'

When they drove by the car again on their way home, Watson said the hood was "completely melted."

Watson later posted on her Twitter account, frustrated because she said she believes she was the first person to call 911 about the fire.

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Instead, she said people were on their phones filming the flames.

"It was just sort of annoying to me, because, you know, you see emergencies here and there ... but somebody has to call 911," she said.

"Who would have called if we hadn't pulled over, I don't know."