Woman burned when cleaning fluid fumes ignite in car

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A cleaning woman who was trying to light a cigarette inside her car instead ignited fumes from cleaning products and caused an explosion that blew out the vehicle’s windows and sun roof, police said.

The woman, whose name wasn’t released, suffered first- and second-degree burns on her face, arms and neck and was treated at a local hospital.

“It was just a freak accident,” Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin said.

It had looked more serious earlier in the day when the blast was reported about noon in an office building parking lot on the east side of the city. It was the second time in a month that authorities responded to the report of a car explosion in the Memphis area, and it raised concern that the bomber had struck again, or had inspired a copycat.

Godwin said the woman had a lot of cleaning chemicals, including bubble gum remover, in the trunk of her car.

“We got a flash, a vapor-type flash,” Godwin said.