A holidaymaker was lucky to escape unharmed after his car caught on fire near Lake Bolac.
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The young man was holidaying with his family when a fire broke out in the engine of his Nissan Pathfinder on Tuesday.
Fortunately his family were travelling in a separate vehicle at the time of the incident.
"He was towing a trailer travelling in an easterly direction when it happened, he'd had some engine issues and as he descended down the hill into the township of Lake Bolac he lost power and there was smoke pouring out of the engine," Lake Bolac CFA captain Lyndon Varney said.
"He managed to get the trailer off and push it away from the vehicle.
"The fire was extinguished before it got out of the engine. There were no injuries and his family was travelling in a separate vehicle.
"There were no kids in the car, just him luckily."
A private tanker, a brigade heavy tanker and an ultralight tanker responded to the blaze around 11.15am.
Mr Varney said the blaze caused extensive damage to the car.
"I don't think they will be salvaging the car, it was totally burnt out under the bonnet," he said.
It's the second vehicle fire the brigade has responded to in a matter of days after a truck caught on fire last week.
The captain issued a warning to motorists.
Fire extinguishers save lives.
- Lyndon Varney, Lake Bolac CFA captain
"I'm also a mechanic and I see a lot of fires that catch under the bonnet, I recommend very regular maintenance and to carry a fire extinguisher at all times," he said.
"A lot of times you can get the fire out before it takes hold if you've got a fire extinguisher and some idea how to use it.
"Fire extinguishers save lives."
He said he always carries a fire extinguisher in his car.
"Everyone I know has one, they used to give them to people as a 21st birthday present."
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