Hudson County Now reported late last week that a flaming squirrel fell from the sky and blew up a woman's car in Bayonne, NJ. Lindsey Millar, 23, and her brother, Tony, 22, were inside their home when they looked outside and saw Lindsey's car in flames. Local firefighters were called and after extinguishing the flames they found the crispy culprit. Apparently the squirrel had been gnawing on power lines directly above Lindsey's Toyota Camry. After chewing through the power lines' protective coating, the electric current was enough to turn the fluffy squirrel into a flaming comet. In a performance that must have been worthy of Greg Louganis, the squirrel hit the windshield and slid directly into the engine compartment, blowing up the car. And we thought Toyotas were supposed to be safe! Do they not have flaming squirrels in Japan!?
In other rodent news... something about scientists creating first interspecies mammalian chimera... species evolved separately for like 20 million years or something... huge breakthrough or something... blah blah blah science world amazed... first step towards breeding man with fish and allowing us to breathe underwater... BORING. Why can't these mice catch fire like their awesome squirrel cousins?
From left: Mus musculus (house mouse); chimera, a genetic fusion of a house and wood mouse; and Apodemus sylvaticus (wood mouse). (Credit: Photo courtesy of Bruce Lahn)
Comments
I hope they had fire squirrel coverage on their insurance!
Posted by: Homie Bear | October 22, 2007 11:41 PM
You know i don't think the Japanese have squirrels in their country, or if they do they're no where near as common as here. Though they've sold cars here long enough to appreciate the threat.
Posted by: David | October 23, 2007 8:59 AM
a flaming stunned/dead squirrel slid into an engine compartment from a windshield?
the 'hudson county now' needs to start hiring fact checkers, i think.
Posted by: neuralstatic | October 23, 2007 3:33 PM
At least the squirrel died, so it cannot commit more crimes.
Posted by: bill coleman | January 16, 2008 6:54 AM
Flaming squirrels aren't all that uncommon. Check this site out for more examples: www.hitchhikinganimals.blogspot.com
Posted by: David Thompson | November 27, 2009 11:14 PM
On some less-detailed maps their layout looks similar except they're inverted relative to one another and there isn't always a sign telling you you've crossed the border from one to the other. I once was using a map to navigate in that area thinking I was in Quincy only to notice that the setting sun was on the wrong side of the car.
Posted by: video | November 30, 2009 2:05 AM
I once was using a map to navigate in that area thinking I was in Quincy only to notice that the setting sun was on the wrong side of the car.
Posted by: sikiş | November 9, 2010 8:26 PM