Couple quickly escapes before car’s engine explodes
A Manorville couple narrowly escaped from a Cadillac Escalade before the engine exploded in an East Main Street parking lot Thursday afternoon.
The Riverhead Fire Department made quick work of the fire and no injuries were reported.
Anthony Waage and Alicia Leary said they had just gotten into his 2005 Escalade, which was parked in the former IRS building lot, and turned on the air conditioning. They noticed smoke coming up from the front hood.
They quickly got out of the car and ran just before the engine exploded, Mr. Waage said in an interview.
“We got out of there quick,” he said.
They escaped unharmed, although it was not immediately clear how much damage the car sustained.
The fire, which was called in at around 12:45 p.m., sent black smoke billowing into the air, but Riverhead Fire Department volunteeres quickly put out the blaze.
The town fire marshal is investigating. Traffic was briefly detoured from a section of East Main Street while firefighters worked at the scene.
