Fire destroys carpet cleaning van Thanksgiving morning

CAPE CORAL, Fla . -- The owner of a carpet cleaning company is thankful everyone is safe tonightafter his van goes up in flames.

Luckily, no one was hurt. It happened in a neighborhood off Santa Barbara Boulevard. Only WINK-TV was on scene.

This isn't howJamesLandolina with 4 Shore Clean expected his Thanksgiving morning to start."I called 911 immediately," he explained.

Twisted metaland the shell of a vehicleare all that remain of his carpet cleaning business. "This is our only truck down here. We just moved here from Baltimore a few months ago," Landolina said.

Cape Coral firefighters battled the blaze after the van burst into flames Thanksgiving morning.Landolina was inside a client's home on Southeast 5th Street when he heard a yell."He started screaming your trucks on fire!"

The fire investigator says the blaze started behind the driver's seatand says it was mechanical in nature.

"If it's a short, wiring, anything can make a car catch on fire," said Fire Inspector Dave Raborn.

Peggy Post drove past the van before the fire to get her daughter from the airport. Both are shocked at what they now see. "It's scary but I'mgratefulthat nobody got hurt," said Post.

"It's not the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, that's for sure! But I'm glad to know there's first responders out to take care of us, even on a day like this," said her daughter Kelly Houseman.

Landolina says this will set his business backbut on this day of thanks he's trying to stay positive."All those materials can be replaced and justthankfulthateverybody issafe. That's all," he said.

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Fire destroys carpet cleaning van Thanksgiving morning