Mona Saunders and her son Ron Savelle were driving their 1979 navy blue Lincoln Continental near Madrona Point when flames began shooting out of the hood.

“We were meeting for lunch at Madrona Point but then we decided to go to North Beach,” Saunders said. “We were driving up the hill and I was going really slow to let a group of kids go by. And suddenly my son said, ‘Mom, the car is smoking.’ I got out and saw flames shooting out of the hood. I said, ‘Get out! It’s going to blow.’ Once a mom, always a mom.”

Saunders and Savelle both escaped the vehicle without injury. Emergency responders were on the scene within minutes of the 911 call that came in around 2 p.m. on Sept. 15. A crowd gathered to survey the scene.

The vehicle, which is known around town as the “Batmobile,” is totaled. Saunders said she was able to grab her purse and lunch before exiting the car.

“You can tell where my head’s at!” she said.