News 10 Now | 24 Hour Local News | ALL NEWS | Exhaust gases blamed for deadly car fire
STEUBEN COUNTY, N.Y. -- New York State Police say a vehicle fire that killed two Steuben County children started when exhaust gases leaked through a hole in the car floor and ignited the interior.
State Police say Melissa Johns, 25, of Savona, was driving west on I-86 Tuesday afternoon when her 1999 Kia caught fire. Troopers say the car was in flames before she could get to her 18-month- and four-week-old children.
They say erosion or a faulty weld could have let in the gases that started the fire.
"Circumstances as it was caused the hole in the floorboards and then eventually the gases ignited the carpet and loose items on the floor," said Michael Case, New York State Police Sergeant.
Emergency responders say another driver stopped Johns from going back to the car to get the children and responders say the car was too far gone for them to make many rescue attempts.
