1979 Ford Probe I Ghia concept car worth $1,000,000 destroyed in trailer fire on Highway 1 in Monterey
A vintage concept car from 1979 worth $1,000,000 was destroyed in a vehicle trailer fire along state Highway 1 in Monterey, authorities and the car's owner said Monday.
The incident happened on the Munras Avenue offramp from northbound Highway 1 at about 7 p.m. Sunday. The Monterey Fire Department said the first crew to arrive found the trailer fully engulfed and the fire spreading to nearby vegetation.
Inside the trailer was a Ford Probe I Ghia concept vehicle, a wedge-shaped car with a futuristic glass canopy and other drag-reducing features such as covered rear wheels and pop-up headlights. The owner of the vehicle, Scott Grundfor Company, said a crash on the highway sparked the trailer fire. The vehicle had just been shown at the Pebble Beach Concoursd'Elegance on Sunday.
"We are a family oriented company, and it feels like we have lost a member of our family today," the classic car company said in an Instagram post Monday. "We are incredibly grateful that our team member driving the trailer at the time this accident occurred was unharmed, and his immediate action prevented this tragic loss of our car from spreading to local foliage and of course to other people who were driving on the highway in Monterey at the time."
The fire department said crews prevented the fire from spreading to the tow vehicle and were able to detach it from the trailer, leaving the vehicle with only minor damage. The total loss was estimated at around $1,028,000.
Cal Fire, the California Highway Patrol, and the Monterey County Sheriff's Office also responded to the incident and helped with traffic control.
One firefighter was slightly injured during overhaul operations, the fire department said. No one else was hurt.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.