Family recall lucky escape as they flee blazing Opel Zafira

As Opel continues to investigate fires in a number of its Zafira cars, a Cork man has recalled how his wife and three young children had to flee their vehicle when it went up in flames.

Peter Prout’s wife Avril and their then five, three and one year-old children were leaving the oldest child to school in September 2013 when smoke started coming from the air vents in Carrigaline. She pulled the car in and called her husband who was at work. However, when Peter got to their location less than 10 minutes later, fire had started in the passenger footwell and spread.

With the help of a passerby, Avril had managed to get the children from the car and get them a safe distance away. The blaze gutted the car.