A viral video has shown the moment a newly purchased car went up in flames just two hours after its dedication on a major highway in Port Harcourt on Sunday, January 11, 2026
The video, shared on TikTok by a user, Emmyofportharcout, shows the moment bystanders joined the car owner to try to extinguish the fire in its engine.
A man is seen courageously spraying the fire with a portable fire extinguisher, but it seems to have no effect. Others join him, but it still does not affect the raging fire.
A woman can be heard crying that the car was just dedicated in church two hours before the incident.
It was learnt that a man had recently acquired the car as a gift for his wife. They both took the car to church for a formal dedication earlier in the day.
The incident occurred as the family was driving the vehicle to their home in Port Harcourt. They saw smoke coming out of the bonnet of the car and quickly parked it to realise that there was already fire in the engine.
After the woman’s husband and the Good Samaritans who were helping them realised that their efforts had no effect on the burning car, they stepped back for safety as the fire increased and the heat from it intensified.
The husband is seen opening the boot of the car to retrieve their belongings before the fire can get there.
The incident caused a TikToker to advise motorists to stop wasting money on fire extinguishers. He noted that he was there when the smoke under the car’s bonnet was detected by the family.
The TikToker disclosed that since then, many fire extinguishers were brought out by passing motorists to help the family save their car.
He remarked that their efforts proved abortive as the extinguishers had no effect on the fire.
The TikToker counselled that it was better for motorists to carry with them 50 litres of water mixed with detergent, noting that it would be more effective than extinguishers.
Vehicles can ignite due to mechanical faults, electrical issues, or fuel system failures, and investigators typically examine engine compartments and wiring systems to determine the cause after such incidents.
