A car fire is to blame for Thursday night's traffic back-up on Interstate 90 near the Minnesota-South Dakota border.
Tammy Anejarn says she is thankful no one was killed in fire but she really doesn't know where to turn now as her only means of transportation and several Christmas presents, were left smoldering on the side of I-90.
"I haven't had the strength to go look at the car because it made me ill thinking we could have been stuck in that car." Said Anejarn.
Anejarn, her sister, and six-year-old nephew Blake were driving home to Hardwick, Minnesota after a day of work and Christmas shopping in Sioux Falls.
Not knowing there was something very wrong with Anejarn's car.
"We came upon the rest area and there were flames shooting out of my vents." Said Anejarn.
Anejarn pulled to the side of the busy interstate to get out of the burning Ford Tempo.
"My sister grabbed my nephew out of the back seat and I grabbed what I could out of the car, we weren't ten feet away and the windows started blowing out." Said Anejarn.
Anejarn says flames shot out of the car more than ten feet high and she was terrified the car would explode. But she was also terrified for Blake's safety standing on the side of Interstate-90. That's when the family's guardian angel showed up to help.
"Only one person, one person stopped to see if we were ok and he put my sister and my nephew in his car to get them off the shoulder, other people stopped to take videos." Said Anejarn.
Anejarn says they lost everything that was in the car, Including the Christmas presents in the trunk.
Blake's knee was burned as they tried to get out but she knows it could have been much worse if not for the kindness of a stranger.
"He stopped and I hope he sees this and knows how grateful I am for the kindness he showed last night when I was so distraught for getting my sister and nephew off the road and safe and warm." Said Anejarn.
Anejarn had just purchased the car a few days ago and has contacted the dealership to see if there is anything they could do to help her out, she hasn't received any calls back.
Now she's just hoping to find a carpool so she doesn't lose her job as well.
We did a little research and found that Ford Tempo's and Mercury Topaz vehicles made in the 80's do have a history of faulty fuel lines that can lead to engine fires. But as of right now the cause of Anejarn's car fire is still being investigated.
