This is the dramatic moment a family of holidaymakers had a ‘miracle’ escape when they were forced to abandon their car in the middle lane of a motorway – shortly before it exploded into a huge FIREBALL.
The family of four ditched their silver Renault Scenic after smoke began pouring out of the bonnet as they were stuck in a jam on the M42 last Saturday morning.
Miraculously, minutes after they dashed to the side of the road the car was ripped apart by a huge explosion.
No one was hurt in the blast which happened shortly after 7.40am on the southbound carriageway between junctions 1 and 2 near Blackwell, Worcs.
Fire crews tackled the blaze which closed two lanes of the motorway for nine hours causing chaos for holidaymakers.
Sales manager Alan Proudfoot, 53, snapped the astonishing moment the car exploded sending a fireball shooting 100ft into the air.
He said: ”When I first spotted the smoke my initial reaction was that it was a bit of early morning mist.
”But as I got out of my vehicle I realised it was smoke coming from a car.
”I began taking pictures when all of a sudden it went from practically nothing to a fierce ball of flames. It was shocking how quickly it turned.
”It started popping and then a number of explosions fired pieces of shrapnel across the carriageway.
”Smoke and flames shot 100ft into the air. It was like a bomb had gone off. It looked like something from a Hollywood blockbuster.
”At first people where driving around the car to carry on with their journey but it became so severe all the cars stopped and parked about 100 meters away. No one wanted to go near it.
”The fire brigade came after about five minutes, Luckily no one was hurt and everyone got out of the car ok.
”It was a miracle the family got out safely.”
The fire began at 7.40am as the car sat in congestion caused by an earlier overturned caravan.