Firemen douse the car flames. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Calcutta, Feb. 18: A Santro whose driver was apparently holding a lighted cigarette while inspecting the engine burst into flames and burned for 30 minutes on the Anwar Shah Road Connector tonight.

Two fire tenders had to be pressed into service to douse the flames. The accident occurred at Sapuipara More.

According to witness Kajal Chatterjee, the fire originated from the bonnet of the car while the driver was holding the cigarette in front of the engine. Chatterjee, who lives nearby, was on his way home on a bike.

“The whole car was in flames. Then came a thundering sound. The incident could have caused much harm had it occurred during the day when the place is crowded,” Chatterjee said.

Bijan Haldar, the driver of the Santro, had stopped the car and got down to check the engine that was giving some trouble. Haldar was alone in the car.

Police later said Haldar was carrying a lighted cigarette while checking the engine and that might have led to the fire.