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A car at the drive-thru window of Popeyes Chicken in Hartwell engulfed in flames Tuesday. The car, occupied by a family of five was picking up food when their vehicle caught fire. No one was harmed and the cause of the fire is unknown. -
A Hartwell firefighter puts out the flames at Popeyes on Tuesday.
Hartwell city police and firemen were dispatched to Popeyes Chicken around 12:10 p.m. Tuesday in response to a car that had caught fire in the fast food restaurant’s drive-thru line.
On site, the SUV was parked directly in front of the food delivery window — Popeyes chicken visible inside the car — with the vehicle’s front section fully engulfed in flames. A small explosion could be heard within minutes before firefighters safely put out the flames.
No one was harmed during the ordeal.
The vehicle’s occupants told The Sun they didn’t know why their hood began smoking and eventually caught on fire. Hartwell Fire assistant lieutenant Scott Crump said an investigation revealed very little about the cause because the engine area was completely burnt.
A couple was in the vehicle with three small children when it started smoking, at which time they quickly exited the vehicle. A customer that was behind them in line also exited her car and helped hold one of the children while the family watched the flames engulf the car.
“I was taking an order with the headset and I smelled something and I told [my co-worker], ‘God, the smell is coming so strong from that car.’ And in the next two minutes, I look around and it’s just smoking,” said Popeyes employee Labriaya Brewer.
Popeyes staff exited the building to try to put out the smoke with a fire extinguisher located outside, but when they saw flames, decided to watch from afar instead.
The explosion caused no noticeable damage to the building but Popeyes was forced to close for much of the afternoon, as smoke entered the building through the drive-thru window.