Jump-start destroys cars, scorches home

By MICHAEL KITCH, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — Two cars were destroyed and a house was scorched when an attempt to jump start one of the two cars went awry, sparking an explosion and fire at the home of Warren Bailey, the renowned radio personality, at 284 Pine St. around 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

The two sedans, a 2000 BMW and 2016 Kia, were parked nose-to-nose in the driveway alongside the house. Baily said that to jump start the BMW he connected the cables and started the Kia, then stepped into house for moment, apparently leaving the cables connected and motor running. Suddenly he heard a loud explosion.

"There was fire everywhere," he said. Right away he called 911, as flames were beginning to lick at the side of the house just a few feet from the burning cars.

Deputy Fire Chief Kirk Beattie said that when firefighters arrived "There was lots of fire." He said that although fire had reached the house and climbed the wall, firefighters knocked it down quickly. As firefighters reached the scene, Beattie said, there was another explosion and he sensed that magnesium, perhaps on the engine block of the BMW, had been ignited. Although the outside of the side wall of the house was burned and charred by the fire and stripped by firefighters extinguishing lingering hot spots, the interior of home was spared from fire damage.

Bailey mourned the loss of what he called "a classic BMW," but said that no one was injured, the house is "OK but smells real bad and the other stuff can be replaced. Well, not the BMW." He praised the firefighters for their prompt response and efficient work.