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Cause of massive Carowinds parking lot fire remains a mystery

By DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com
By DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's been three weeks since the massive fire that consumed a dozen cars in the parking lot of Carowinds Amusement Park.

Channel 9 obtained the incident report detailing the fire investigation.

Investigators said there were three factors that confirmed which car the fire started from, including witness statements from the 911 caller and a Carowinds security officer and surveillance video from Carowinds.

None of those factors describe how the fire started. The report said, “There are many possibilities, but nothing is left to rule any specific cause."

“I mean, it's frustrating because they can’t single out what caused the problem,” said Sherian Leonard, whose car was destroyed in the fire. “Just not having a vehicle, it was very stressful.”

[Fire spreads to several cars in Carowinds parking lot]

[Insurance claims a mess after 11 cars burned in Carowinds parking lot fire]

Leonard said she has a new car thanks to helping friends.

“I had some friends contact me and wanted to help out and they purchased a vehicle for me,” she said. “I was like, ‘Well, what do I owe you? They said, ‘Nothing, it's a gift.’ I was very overwhelmed.”

Channel 9's partners at The Herald spoke with the York County Fire Marshal, who said investigators could not figure out the cause because the fire burned up the interior of the car where the fire started.

They also said there was no evidence of any criminal intent and that no accelerants were used.

The fire started in the passenger compartment of a 2003 Ford Taurus sedan, but the fire was so severe it "gutted" the car, according to the report submitted by York County fire inspector Donnie Helms.

Channel 9 discovered the 2003 Ford Taurus was under recall for issues with the air filter that could cause a fire under the hood.

Reporter DaShawn Brown spoke with the fire marshal, who said he ruled the recall out and is pretty confident the fire started in a compartment on the passenger's side.

The fire marshal added there is still not enough evidence to definitively say that is where the fire started.

The fire was captured on video in the south parking lot of Carowinds on June 22.

Fire officials said the strong breeze spread the flames quickly. They were able to put out the fire in about 30 minutes.

Nobody was hurt.

PAST COVERAGE:

Carowinds officials assisted the people whose cars were destroyed or damaged, said Lisa Stryker, spokesperson for Carowinds. The park offered rental car and other transportation assistance, Stryker said.

Additionally, Carowinds also will provide free tickets to the park to the people who were affected when those who lost vehicles want to come back, Stryker said.

"I mean it's frustrating because they can't find what caused the problem, therefore there's no negligence on her part, so therefore I get nothing from insurance," Leonard said.

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