Massachusetts

Police: Toy Car Combusts Shortly After North Andover, Mass. Mother Removes Children From Vehicle

A 3-year-old child and 16-month-old infant were in the toy car when their mother suddenly smelled a strange odor and heard popping noises

A North Andover, Massachusetts mother removed her two young children from a toy car just before it suddenly combusted in their yard on Tuesday.

Shortly after 5 p.m., fire crews responded to a call of a child's ride-on toy on fire in a front yard.

The mother told officials that her 3-year-old and 16-month-old children were in the toy vehicle when she smelled a strange odor and heard popping noises. She quickly took her children out of the toy and it burst into flames just minutes after, according to North Andover Fire Department Chief William McCarthy.

The toy, which was manufactured by Sportrax, was said to have only been used a few times, according to McCarthy. According to the mother, the toy car was purchased two weeks prior to the fire as a birthday gift.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and state fire marshals have been notified of the strange and dangerous incident. Officials are investigating whether this was an isolated incident or if other families have had similar experiences with the model.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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