Car Fire Ignites Garage, Spreads to Attic, Burns Down Monahans Family's 'Dream Home'

By: Julia DengNewsWest 9

MONAHANS - A garage fire, believed to have ignited when a Volkswagen parked inside experienced mechanical failure, engulfed a N Main Ave house Tuesday night in Monahans.

Fire officials declared the home a total loss, after Monahans volunteer firefighters spent four hours putting out the blaze.

"This is heartbreaking," said Bernett Hernandez.

Her parents, Zulema and Ascencion "Sean" Prieto, own the house.

"My daddy has worked [for an oil field company here] for about 38 years, and that's how long they've had this home," she told NewsWest 9. "It is very, very hard to swallow."

Her father reportedly tried starting his Volkswagen "Beetle" Tuesday evening, had trouble starting the car's battery and left the car in the garage while eating dinner with his wife in the back of the house.

According to Hernandez, they "heard a pop" a few minutes later.

"The electricity went out, and they didn't realize anything was wrong in the garage," she said.

The Volkswagen went up in flames, which engulfed the garage, damaged another vehicle parked nearby beyond repair and promptly spread to the attic, fire officials told NewsWest 9.

Read the original post:
Car Fire Ignites Garage, Spreads to Attic, Burns Down Monahans Family's 'Dream Home'