Near 10 p.m. Saturday, August 16, a parked vehicle at the Cornelia Walmart erupted in smoke, prompting a swift response from customers, staff, and emergency crews.
The owner of the vehicle had just parked when clouds of smoke billowed from beneath the hood, which eventually glowed with fire. Drivers of nearby parked cars scrambled to move their vehicles. One mother held her children back by the store’s front doors, preventing them from crossing the crosswalk as the smoke thickened.
Walmart employees worked quickly to steer shoppers clear of the burning vehicle and called 911.
Emergency responders mobilized within minutes, with multiple units arriving to secure the scene. Firefighters extinguished the blaze almost immediately, preventing the flames from spreading further.
(Carly McCurry/NowHabersham.com)
A police officer on the scene confirmed that no injuries had been reported.
Now Habersham has reached out to the Cornelia Fire Marshal’s Office for more information on what caused the fire.
