Forgotten Lit Cigarette To Blame For Caledonia Car Fire

A car started on fire after a man realized that a lit cigarette he had forgotten about started the bottom of his car seat on fire.

Mark Sherwood, of Racine, was driving with Elizabeth Sherwood, his 33-year-old daughter, at 10:46 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, in the 4800 block of Scott’s Way.

According to a report by the, Mark was driving his black Cadillac northbound on Highway 32 when he smelled something burning and saw smoke coming from underneath the car seat.

Mark told the police he remembered he had put a lit cigarette on the edge of the ashtray in the car. When he pulled off onto Scott’s Way, Mark and Elizabeth got out of the car. Mark tried to put the fire out, but the whole bottom of the front seat and the back seat were engulfed in flames.

Mark had burns on his hands, but he refused medical treatment.

Personnel with the Caledonia Fire Department put out the fire, but it was deemed a total loss.