Car Explodes As Driver Lights Cigarette After Spraying Air Freshener, Man Narrowly Escapes Death

Danger comes unannounced.

A driver in Halifax, West Yorkshire, the United Kingdom, narrowly escaped death Saturday as he lit a cigarette just after spraying air freshener in his car, causing an explosion.

The driver, identified as Carl Fisher, 29, was stuck in traffic in Fountain Street at around 3:30 p.m. GMT (2:30 p.m. EST) when the explosion occurred. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene immediately and they evacuated the man. The firefighters held "Excessive use of an air freshener,” responsible for the “dramatic” explosion.

Gas from the aerosol scent which was sprayed immoderately caught fire, savaged the windscreen and the windows, and caused a door and the trunk of the vehicle to buckle. The strong impact of the explosion has even damaged nearby businesses. Fisher was treated by paramedics at the scene but he had only suffered minor burns to his face and hands.

"The owner fortunately sustained only minor injuries but this could have been worse,” police told The Manchester Evening News and urged people to follow safety warnings before using air freshener cans.

"We have attended incidents of a similar nature before. Always read the labels," West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said on Twitter.

"A car explosion in Halifax Town Centre. What an enormous bang. I was in an adjacent bar. Emergency services on scene in moments," Craig Chew-Moulding, a witness, tweeted. "Unbelievably the driver just climbed out. Thankfully there appears to be no injuries."

The road was closed Saturday afternoon while the police and the fire service investigated the scene.