A fire at Clear Creek Golf Car and Utility Vehicles in South Oklahoma City quickly spread, destroying over 60 golf cars. Thanks to the swift action of local firefighters, no injuries or structural damage occurred.
According to Koko News, a fire at Clear Creek Golf Car and Utility Vehicles near Southeast 89th Street and I-35 in South Oklahoma City sent black smoke billowing across the city as more than 60 golf carts went up in flames. What started as a small fire on one car quickly spread, igniting dozens of others within minutes, according to the Oklahoma City Fire Department.
“There was a significant distance between our water source and where we were fighting the fire,” explained John Chenoweth, a firefighter with the Oklahoma City Fire Department. Crews had to lay out an extensive hose line to reach the blaze, but they were ultimately able to contain it before it spread to any buildings. “We made sure none of the structures were affected and focused on stopping the fire’s spread across the golf cars,” Chenoweth added.
While the flames destroyed the majority of the golf cars stored outside, Clear Creek’s buildings were left unscathed. Shawn Anderson, co-owner of Clear Creek Golf Car and Utility Vehicles, issued a statement after the incident, thanking first responders for their quick work. “Fortunately, nobody was injured, and our buildings were completely unaffected by the fire. However, about 50 golf cars stored outside were destroyed. Based on camera footage, the fire appears accidental, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause.”
Fire officials confirmed that the blaze was electrical in nature. According to Chenoweth, the fire started with one golf car experiencing electrical issues, and because they were tightly packed together, the flames quickly spread. The thick black smoke that engulfed the area, including the nearby Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, was primarily caused by the plastic components and batteries of the cars burning. “Plastic creates a lot of black smoke. A lot of hydrocarbons—that’s basically what it was from,” Chenoweth explained.
Although there were employees on-site when the fire broke out, thankfully no one was injured. As the investigation continues, the team at Clear Creek is grateful that the damage was limited to property, thanks to the efforts of Oklahoma City’s fire crews.
