Boiled linguini? Or crispy Lamborghini?
West Vancouver Fire & Rescue is investigating what caused an Italian supercar’s engine to go up in flames on Highway 1 on Monday (April 3).
Crews were returning to the fire hall after a training exercise when they spotted a column of smoke coming from the eastbound lanes just west of Westridge Avenue around 4:30 p.m.
“They actually noticed it before the call came in,” said assistant fire chief Garrith Michael. “The engine compartment was fully engulfed.”
The driver was able to safely exit the vehicle and crews had no issue quickly getting the flames doused, Michael said.
Once the fire was extinguished, the vehicle was taken to a local tow yard where fire investigators will try to determine what happened. As of Thursday afternoon, that investigation was still ongoing. The vehicle appeared to be in good working condition before the fire, Michael said.
The fire did cause a significant backup on the highway during rush hour while crews dealt with the scene, Michael said.
The vehicle appears to be a $200,000 Lamborghini Gallardo built between 2004 and 2014. Some models in that line were recalled in 2012 due to engine fire risk, though Michael said it’s the first one he’s ever seen catch fire.
During the traffic backup, one Twitter user joked that “Lamborghini” is the Italian word for “expensive bonfire.”
