If you love high performance cars and hate it when they’re destroyed by carelessness, look away now.
The world is bereft one Lamborghini Huracan Performante this morning, after one of the dumbest incidents we’ve ever heard of. The blue Lamborghini had recently taken part in the goldRush Rally, a ten-day, coast-to-coast jolly for owners of rare and expensive cars. Having survived the drive from Las Vegas to Boston to celebrate the event’s 10th anniversary, the car was on its way elsewhere.
Heading into Kirkwood, near St. Louis, MO, the Performante’s driver decided to head into a Mobil 1 gas station. After parking up behind a friend in a red Gallardo Performante, the duo headed into the shop.
According to Parker Gelber, owner of the red Gallardo, that’s when it all kicked off:
“As soon as we walked in, we saw a massive fireball out the window. We all ran out of the gas station to the other side of the road. At this point, we had no idea what happened or whose car(s) were on fire. We dialed 911 and when the fire was out you could see that his car was completely burned down, our red one just covered in ash.”
Luckily a supercar enthusiast bystander caught the whole scene on camera (although in portrait mode; come on people, it’s 2018). Another driver at the pump alongside the Huracan drove off, with the nozzle still inside his filler. The car, a Chrysler Town & Country, wrenched the pipe from the pump, spraying gas straight down onto the Lamborghini’s hot engine bay.
That almost instantly lit the fuel, and the ensuing fireball consumed the Performante.
Luckily the fire didn’t spread any further. The gas station, on Historic Route 66, only has eight pumps, but the fire didn’t affect any of them, else it could have been a much bigger event.
The police were able to detain the Town & Country’s driver, and no doubt he’ll be facing some very strange questions from his insurance company.
Images via goldRush Rally and Parker Gelber on Facebook.
