Wreckage From Fatal OC McLaren Crash Catches Fire At Tow Yard

IRVINE, CA — The wreckage of a McLaren involved in a fatal traffic collision in Irvine spontaneously caught fire at a secured tow facility in Costa Mesa more than a month after the crash, authorities announced Saturday.

The front section of the vehicle ignited shortly late Wednesday night at a facility contracted by the Irvine Police Department to store vehicles involved in collisions, Irvine police Public Information Officer Kyle Oldoerp told City News Service.

No injuries were reported in the fire, Oldoerp said.

The McLaren was involved in a fatal collision Sept. 13 at Deerfield and Culver. The crash caused the vehicle to separate, extensively damaging its structure and electrical system, according to police.

Costa Mesa Fire and Rescue investigators determined preliminarily, based on surveillance footage, that the wreckage ignited without anyone present. However, investigators have not established a definitive cause of the fire, Oldoerp said.

Police released surveillance footage showing the beginning of the fire. The footage was sped up, and other vehicles unrelated to the collision were blurred out.

Investigations into both the original collision and the subsequent fire remained ongoing.