The pizza wasn't the only thing hot at Pizza Hut on East State Street yesterday afternoon.
While Ohio University senior Kelli Brechbuhler, 22, was sitting in a booth eating pizza with a friend, an employee alerted patrons that a 2003 Ford Focus was on fire in the parking lot around 2:45 p.m.
Brechbuhler said her reaction was, My car is on fire!
Pizza Hut employee and OU junior Jason Dipiero, 22, said he tried to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher, but the fire didn't go out.
After another employee dialed 911, the Athens Fire Department responded in less than five minutes, Dipiero said.
AFD Captain George Klinger said the fire started in the engine compartment near the battery.
The car will likely be totaled because of extensive damage to the engine and the front of the car, Klinger said.
After calling her mom and a local towing company, Brechbuhler was still in shock as she continued to eat her pizza.
What a way to end my spring break
she said. We were so lucky we weren't in that.
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Emilie Schneider
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Kelli Brechbuhler
