3,516 Lightly Optioned Cars Burn in Florida

A weekend blaze cut short the lifespans of more than 3,500 vehicles packed tightly into a single massive overflow lot near Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Florida.

While the cause of the vehicular firestorm has not yet been determined, the resulting carnage is something to see. Despite dozens of water drops by local sheriff’s office helicopters, the overflow lot, ringed with acres of dry grass, proved the perfect econobox tinderbox.

Whether the late-Friday fire originated as a grass fire or turned into one is not known, but the towering blaze fueled by the gasoline, engine oil, tires, hoses, belts, and fabrics of thousands of vehicles backstopping the airport’s rental agencies soon spread to a nearby forest.

https://twitter.com/CCSOFLSheriff/status/1246287194307932162

“By the time we had units on the scene, we had 100 cars (on fire). We lost count after the hundreds,” Melinda Avni, Mitigation Specialist for Florida Forestry Service of Caloosahatchee, told CNN.

The fire burned into Saturday, ultimately consuming 15 acres of land, forest, and rental lot. Multiple fire departments, in addition to the forestry service and Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, played a role in bringing the situation under control.

After firefighters extinguished the last ember, the Lee County Port Authority announced the loss of 3,516 vehicles.

Just completed 90 minutes of LIVE coverage of the RSW car fire for .

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Back in the control room for team coverage on @winknews at 10 and 11.

— Lenny Smith (@lensmith22) April 4, 2020

Rental cars face a harsh early life and quick depreciation, but the vehicles immolated in Fort Myers barely had a chance to start their inglorious careers. Photos from the scene show a distinctive lack of Nissan sedans, Dodge Chargers, and various other rental favorites, though it could just be the vantage point that’s to blame. Without a doubt, they’re in there.

When the coronavirus pandemic’s grip on the U.S. auto industry eases, automakers can expect healthy fleet orders from southwest Florida.

[Image: welcomia/shutterstock]