Recently, a family of five was awakened by the sound of an airbag exploding when a fire broke out in the driveway of their Maryland home.
Vicki and Philip Hill, who have 5-year-old twins and a 7-year-old child, told Fox 5 that if their SUV suddenly caught fire while parked in their garage, it could cause the house to explode because it’s right next to a gas line.
Video from the home’s doorbell camera shows that just before 6 a.m. on May 14, the vehicle began to smoke and then burst into flames.
After emergency crews arrived and extinguished the fire, only the charred remains and shards of glass from the explosion were left inside.
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The fire was captured on a doorbell camera. (Fox 5)
“At first, we thought there was a break-in and we were scared,” Vicki Hill told Fox 5 of the explosion. “When my husband told me the vehicle was on fire and called 911, my first priority was to get our children out of the house.”
While the cause of the explosion is under investigation, the Hill family believes the explosion may have been caused by an ABS actuator pump seal in the vehicle’s braking system, which the family had previously repaired.
Nissan recalled actuator pump seals in some vehicles between 2015 and 2019 because leaks could cause electrical problems and, in rare cases, fires. It’s unclear whether Hills’ SUV is included in the recall.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. (Fox 5)
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The family said Nissan told them technicians wouldn’t be available for six to eight weeks.
“The safety of our customers is extremely important to Nissan. We have launched an investigation into this incident. Our team will be in contact with Mr. and Mrs. Hill,” Nissan told Fox 5 in a statement.
Hills sat in front of the charred remains of their car. (Fox 5)
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Nissan for comment.
