Chaos erupted at an Orange County Wawa gas station Wednesday morning when two vehicles became engulfed in flames. ClickOrlando reported the incident at the 10052 Curry Ford Road location just after 8 a.m., and Orange County Fire Rescue confirmed it. They responded and extinguished the blaze.
Details emerged that a man in a van, reportedly trying to steal a storage tank from the Wawa, inadvertently set his vehicle on fire. The van contained a large bladder, and during the theft, something misfired, catching fire instead. Witnesses observed the driver attempting to douse the flames with a fire extinguisher, detailed by WESH. According to an interview with Daniel Argueta, son of Miguel Argueta, whose truck also ignited, "But the fire got back really fast because he looks like he was stealing some gas, 'cause he got a big tank, and that's why the fire spread so quickly and that why … he said it only happened in a minute."
One of the victims at the scene, Miguel Argueta, faced a harrowing situation as his truck, situated near the initial fire, burst into flames while he was inside the gas station. Initially, Miguel believed he could salvage his vehicle, unaware of the risk waiting for him at the pump. Daniel recounted the scene, "But everybody say, 'no no no, don't do that' because they there is too much smoke and the car can blow," in a WESH report.
The potential danger prompted evacuation orders within the Wawa convenience store. "Everybody towards the back of the building, let's go … everybody out," a voice was heard commanding, documented by WESH. After the fire was extinguished, Miguel's aftermath was bleak. He lost not only his truck—essential for his livelihood hauling debris—but also $300 in cash and his trailer. Despite the devastating financial loss, no physical injuries were reported, emphasizing that safety prevailed despite the misfortune.
