Car engine fire causes traffic jam

Laguna Beach firefighters extinguished a car engine fire during the morning rush near Top of the World Elementary School on Friday.

The fire began inside the engine as a teacher tried to find a parking spot, Laguna Beach Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse said. The Mercedes SUV stalled in a driveway at 7:29 a.m. on Mountain View Road. No one was injured, he said.

The driver experienced problems with the car right before she smelled smoke, which came from under the hood, LaTendresse said.

One engine crew from the nearby station on Alta Laguna Boulevard put out the fire.

“It created a nice traffic jam,” LaTendresse said.

—Bryce Alderton