Advertisement

Family’s vehicle bursts into flames while driving through lion enclosure at a safari park

We're not 'lion' about this one!

A day at the safari looked more like a scene from 'Die Hard' when a family's car burst into flames as they were driving through a lion enclosure.

While escorting her two children through Longleaf Safari park in Wiltshire, England, Helen Clements, 43, noticed smoke billowing out of their vehicle.

"I thought the car had overheated. Then basically, we thought: 'No, that's not steam, that's actually smoke," Clements told the BBC.

Adding further panic to the situation, their vehicle had stopped inside the lion enclosure when it had burst into flames.

So, the famliy had to make a choice: Jump out of the car and face the 12 lions that surrounded them throughout the enclosure, or stay in the car and pray for a miracle.

George Clements, Helen's son, immediately ran from the vehicle when Park Rangers began running towards the car, screaming at the family to stay in their burning vehicle.

What?! Stay in the vehicle?!

"Do you get out of the car because you're on fire?" asked Helen; sarcastically, I assume.

Though she laughs about it now, Helen certainly wasn't laughing at the time.

"It is unbelievable, and I think if it was near the flamingos we wouldn't have had the problem but it's because it was in the lion enclosure," said Helen, chuckling.

The park rangers were able rescue the family and the fire was extinguished.

Neither the lions, nor the Clements, were hurt in the process. But if the family had listened to the park rangers and stayed in their burning car, this story might have had a very tragic ending.