A Dingwall mum-of-three has described the terrifying moment her car caught fire on the A9.
Suzanne Mackay was returning home from a Christmas shopping trip in Inverness with her friend Charlotte yesterday afternoon when her car started to lose power.
They were travelling in the fast lane of the busy road near Munlochy when flames erupted from the vehicle.
Just moments after the friends escaped – helped by a Good Samaritan who ushered them to safety – the car exploded into a ball of flames.
“It is unbearable to think what would have happened if my son was in the car, or my niece’s baby,” said Suzanne, 42.
“It could have been much worse, and I am so grateful for everyone who came to help. I am also grateful that no one was injured.”
Car ‘exploded’ on A9 near Munlochy junction
Charlotte had originally offered to take her Mini to Inverness for the friends shopping trip, but Suzanne said that taking her bigger Kia Sedona 2009 car made sense.
She said the car is regularly serviced and has a full MOT.
Suzanne said: “I was driving in the fast lane when the car’s power just went. I then noticed that the car was on fire.
“I have no idea how, but with no power we managed to get the car to the side of the road on a verge at the Munlochy junction. We were going at a snail’s pace.
“We got out of the car, grabbed our bags and seconds later the car was on fire.”
A good Samaritan in a pick-up truck stopped and urgently moved the two women away from the car, saying “that car is going to go up”.
Seconds later the car blew up in flames with a bang, and the pickup truck driver – Gavin Kelt – went onto the A9 to stop cars.
Suzanne continued: “Our legs were like jelly.
“Gavin saved our lives and kept us safe. He has even been in touch since to find out how we are.
“An off-duty ambulance driver also came to help. She was an angel, as I started to have a panic attack.
“If it wasn’t for the kindness of strangers we would be in a very different situation today.”
Locals rushed to help extinguish the flames
Workers from local company Richard Fraser arrived on the scene with fire extinguishers as emergency services started to arrive on the scene.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We were called at 2.54pm yesterday to reports of a car on fire at the Munlochy junction.
“We mobilised two appliances from Inverness.
“The crew used two breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets.”