A CAR burst into flames in the middle of rush-hour while the vehicle’s terrified driver was still behind the wheel.

Firefighters were called to East Street, in Colchester, shortly after 5pm on Wednesday following reports of a car being alight.

Upon arrival the crews found a black Volkswagen was on fire and immediately worked to make the area safe for drivers and pedestrians by blocking off the road.

As a result, traffic started to build back from East Street bridge until the Colchester firefighters extinguished the inferno before moving the car from the road by 5:30pm.

Gazette:

In shocking video footage seen by the Gazette, plumes of smoke can be seen billowing from under the bonnet of the car as eyewitnesses look on in horror.

Kaka Jwan, who was parked on the side of the road when the vehicle went up in flames, saw the drama unfold.

He said: “I saw it all, right up until the firefighters arrived, they got there within minutes luckily and the woman and everyone was safe.

“I was told the driver left work with no problem but then a light came on and the car started smoking before it caught fire.”

Jessica Howlett passed the scene shortly after the fire had been successfully put out but admits being stunned by what she confronted with.

She said: “I just caught the aftermath but I could see the incident as I was walking down the hill and I saw the road had been blocked and a massive traffic build-up.

Gazette:

“By the time I got there the firefighters had put the fire out and moved the car to safety but there was a lady on the phone who so upset.

“The car was literally on fire - it was chaos on the streets of Colchester.”

The Essex Fire Service has now issued a statement following the car fire, a video of which can be viewed on the Gazette’s website.

A spokeswoman said: “A crew from Colchester was called to a vehicle fire in East Hill, Colchester at 5.10pm on Wednesday.

“On arrival, crews reported a vehicle was on fire and extinguished it by 5.30pm.”