A Richmond County family had a close call Monday when their vehicle caught fire on the way for some relaxation.

Theressa Smith, her husband and their 1-year-old grandson were on N.C. 109, heading to Lake Tillery, when their Chevy Avalanche starting having issues. She said they had just replaced the alternator.

Her husband “got out to see what was wrong with the truck,” she said, “and when he opened the door I smelled smoke and just had this gut feeling that I needed to get the baby out of the car.”

So she got out and unbuckled their grandchild from his car seat.

“… when I walked around the truck I saw flames underneath … and yelled that the truck was on fire and took off running” with the baby in her arms, Smith continued.

She said the truck eventually exploded.

“It is a complete loss,” she said on a Facebook post. “We lost everything that was inside of it, including our luggage and some of the baby’s things. Not even sure what else at this point.”

Among the property destroyed were her husband’s wallet and all of her summer clothes.

Although she’s glad they made it out safely,”it just makes me cry to think of all the things that we lost.”

On her initial post, Smith, who works for the Richmond County Department of Social Services, thanked the fire department that responded, and the Anson County Partnership for Children for providing a new car seat so they could continue traveling.

She also thanked friends for taking them to the campground and lending their car to buy items to “get through the night.”

” … if he had not pulled over to see what was going onn the truck could have exploded with us in it — or at least caught on fire,” she said late Monday night. “I still feel sick to my stomach thinking about it.”

Reach William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 or [email protected].

Contributed photo Flames rise from the rear well of a truck as it catches fire.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/web1_truckfire_flames.jpgContributed photo Flames rise from the rear well of a truck as it catches fire.

Contributed photo A Chevy Avalanche is loaded up to be hauled off after catching fire Monday afternoon.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/web1_truckfire_smith.jpgContributed photo A Chevy Avalanche is loaded up to be hauled off after catching fire Monday afternoon.
Partnership for Children provides car seat

By William R. Toler

Editor