Woman, 21, escapes with life after car bursts into raging fireball

A 21-year-old woman escaped with her life when her car burst into flames moments after she noticed smoke coming from the bonnet.

Emma Banner was driving her Audi on the 414 to her work at a doggy daycare centre in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on Friday when she noticed smoke rising from her car bonnet.

She pulled over by junction 42 of the eastbound carriageway at around 7.30am and then minutes later the car caught fire.

Another driver passing by also stopped to help after noticing the smoke, staying with her as the blaze ripped through the car. 

Emergency services were called to the scene and Ms Banner was checked over by paramedics.

She told Cambridgeshire Live: 'I was completely shaken up and in bits as I was very frightened. My car had no warning lights come on but began to stop me from accelerating. I heard a loud bang and my car was juddering quite a bit.

'I started to assume my tyre was blown or something. The closest place to pull over was the exit to Junction 42. I felt very worried and anxious about what was going on so reached for my phone to call my mum, then I noticed smoke coming from my bonnet so I got out. 

'Luckily, a man pulled over to help as he also saw the smoke. It was only a couple of minutes later the fire started. The man stayed with me until emergency services arrived and he helped me calm down. I was lucky enough to get out just before the car caught fire.'

Ms Banner added that she lost several personal belongings that were in the car when the fire happened.

The road was cleared shortly after the incident with built up traffic quickly subsiding.